Ex  ICtbrtfi 


SEYMOUR  DURST 


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Avery  Architectural  and  Fine  Arts  Library 
Gift  of  Seymour  B.  Durst  Old  York  Library 


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RAPID  TRANSIT 


!N 

NEW  YORK  CITY 


AND  IN 

OTHER  GREAT  CITIES 


Prepared  for  the 

CHAMBER  OF  COMMERCE  OF  THE  STATE  OF  NEW  YORK 

By  Its  Special  Committee  on 
RECOGNITION  OF  SERVICES  OF  MEMBERS  OF  THE  CHAMBER 
ON  THE  RAPID  TRANSIT  COMMISSION 


1  90^ 


Copyright,  1906, 

BY 

E  Chamber  of  Commerce 

OF  THE 

State  of  New  York. 


NOTE 


The  proceedings  of  the  Chamber  of  Commerce  authorizing 
the  preparation  and  publication  of  this  book  will  be  found  in  the 
last  chapter. 

The  book  has  been  prepared  by  Mr.  S.  D.  V.  Burr,  C.  E.,  A.  IV\., 
under  the  direction  of  the  Chairman  of  the  Special  Committee. 


CONTENTS. 

Chapter  1. 

The  Beginnings  and  (lie  (Ircnvth  of  \e\v  York  City   i 

ClIAPTKU  II. 

Plans  for  Relief   6 

CllAPTKR  III. 

Early  Suljway  Schemes   .  9 

Chapter 

Bridges  to  Brooklyn : 

l^rooklyn  Bridge  '  C? 

W'illiamsbnrgh  Bridge  21 

Manhattan  Bridge   24 

Blackwells  Island  Bridge   25 

Chapter  V. 

Tunnels : 

Hudson  River  Tunnel  27 

Hudson  &  A'lanhattan  Railroad  Tunnel  35 

Pennsylvania  Railroad  Tunnels  36 

Chapter  VL 

Elevated  Railroads  44 

Chapter  VH. 

Rapid  Transit  Commission  of  1875  51 

Chapter  VHI. 

Commission  of  1891  54 

Chapter  IX. 

The  Chamber  of  Commerce  61 

Chapter  X. 

Abram  S.  Hewitt  77 


Chapter  XI. 

Coniniissiou  of  1894  84 

Chaptkk  Xll. 

Prq)aring  the  Subway  Contract  107 

(."llAI'TKK    XI II. 

Contract  Awarded  and  Work  licguii  118 

CllAl'JEK  Xl\'. 

Engineering  i'cature.s  of  the  Xew  York  Subway  122 

Chapter  X\'. 

E(|uii)nient  of  the  Subway    .  142 

Chapter  X\'I. 

Work  of  Commission  During  Construction  of  Sul)way  154 

Chapter  XVII. 

0])cning  the  .^ubway  164 

Cl[.\PTER    X\  ill. 

I-'utm-e  Rapid  Transit  in  Xew  York  175 

Chapter  XIX. 

I'inancial  Statement  191 

Chapter  XX. 

Rapid  'i'ransit  in  (  )ther  Cities : 

London   196 

Ijerhn   206 

Budapest  211 

Paris  214 

Glasgow  226 

Boston  227 

Chicago  238 

Pliiladelphia   248 

Chapter  XXI. 

Present  Rapid  Transit  Laws  253 

Chapter  XXII. 

Ap]ireciation  of  tlie  Chamber  276 


\ 

\ 


CHAPTER  1. 

THE  BEGINNINGS  AND  THE  GROWTH  OF  NEW  YORK  CITY. 


In  tlie  early  part  of  the  seventeenth  century  the  Dutch  were  wonderfully  pros  HENRY 
perous,  dealing  on  a  large  scale  with  the  entire  world.  Motley  mentions,  in 
United  Netherlands,  that  they  had  100,000  sailors  and  3,000  ships.  Bryant,  in  his 
History  of  the  United  States,  remarks  that  "The  Dutch  East  India  Company,  the 
first  of  great  trading  monopolies,  was  formed  by  the  consolidation  of  several  small 
corporations,  its  charter  granting  it  sole  permission  to  trade  for  twenty-one  years 
to  the  east  of  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  and  to  sail  through  the  Straits  of  Magel- 
lan." The  Magellan  route  was  long,  and  it  became  important  to  search  for  a 
passage  across  the  northern  hemisphere.  Many  expeditions  were  sent  forth.  So 
firmly  rooted  had  become  the  belief  that  a  passage  existed  north  of  the  continent 
that  one  explorer,  Henry  Hudson,  sent  out  by  the  Muscovy  Company  of  England, 
had  been  instructed  "to  proceed  directly  across  the  pole."  This  was  the  second 
voyage  of  Hudson  for  the  company. 

In  1609  the  Dutch  East  India  Company  engaged  Hudson  to  make  a  third 
attempt.  The  ship  Half-Moon,  a  vessel  of  80  tons,  was  fitted  out.  The 
contract  stipulated  that  Hudson  was  to  receive  a  sum  equal  to  $300  of  our  money 
for  expenses  and  for  the  support  of  his  family  during  his  absence.  If  he  did  not 
return,  his  widow  was  to  be  paid  $80  to  indemnify  her  for  his  loss.  If  he  found 
the  passage,  he  was  to  receive  a  suitable  reward,  the  exact  terms  of  which  were  not 
stated  in  the  agreement.  He  was  instructed  to  proceed  "around  the  north  side  of 
Nova  Zembla"  ;  also  he  was  "to  think  of  no  other  routes  or  passages,  except  the 
route  around  by  the  north  and  northeast  above  Nova  Zembla." 

The  expedition  sailed  April  4,  1609,  and  early  in  May  had  reached  the  neigh-  HUDSON'S 
borhood  of  the  island.  Ice  barred  further  progress  in  that  direction,  and,  as  the 
crew  were  insubordinate,  most  of  them  being  unused  to  the  extreme  cold  of  that 
region,  Hudson  decided  to  disobey  orders  and  sail  west  for  the  American  shore. 
He  skirted  the  coast  of  Newfoundland  and  New  England  and  reached  a  point  as 
far  south  as  Chesapeake  Bay  ;  and  returning  sighted  the  Navesink  Highland  in 


VOYAGE 


I 


RAl'iD  TRANSIT 


September.  Before  he  sailed  for  home  the  Kills  were  explored,  and  also  the  Hud- 
son to  a  point  above  Troy.  The  adventurers  were  delighted  with  the  beauty  of  the 
country,  and  w  ith  its  possibilities  for  agriculture  and  for  trade  with  the  natives. 

riic  Dutch  (iovernmcnl  (iid  not  take  advantage  of  the  discovery  to  claim  the 
te  rritory  ;  neither  did  it  make  an  attempt,  until  long  after,  to  develop  and  colo- 
nize it. 

HATTAN  J3;,t:  the  merchants  of  Amsterdam  were  not  so  indifferent.  Two  or  three  years 
after  Hudson's  visit  they  occu])icd  the  southern  end  of  Manhattan  Island,  building 
there  a  crude  fort  and  huts  for  the  first  settlers. 

It  did  not  call  for  the  exercise  of  much  insight  on  the  part  of  the  pioneers  to 
appreciate  the  wonderful  advantages  of  the  location.  While  doubtless  they  never 
dreamed  of  the  vast  and  thriving  population  that  would  in  time  occupy  the  Lsland 
of  Manhattan,  they  knew  that  the  harbor  was  not  surpassed  by  any  in  Europe. 
They  knew  that  the  river  would  provide  communication  with  a  vast  interior  region. 
They  knew,  in  some  part,  that  the  natural  resources  of  the  land  were  very  great. 

The  Island  of  Manhattan  was  a  rocky  ridge  extending  north  and  south.  The 
southern  part  was  easily  defensible.  The  country  to  the  north  was  fit  to  be  culti- 
vated. The  adjacent  land  in  Jersey,  Staten  Island,  and  Brooklyn  was  of  like  char- 
acter. The  settlers  sent  their  boats  up  the  Hudson  as  far  as  the  stream  was  navi- 
gable, south  along  the  coast  and  north  through  the  Sound,  and  rapidly  established 
an  extensive  trade  with  the  Indians.  They  entered  also,  in  a  modest  way,  upon 
the  tillage  of  the  soil. 

The  growth  of  the  place  was  rapid.    In  1700  the  population  was  about  21,700. 
In  1800  it  had  grown  to  60,489;  in  1820,  to  123,706.    At  this  time  the  population 
of  the  Stale  of  Xew  York  was  1,372,812. 
THE  ERIE  At  the  date  last  mentioned  a  movement  was  set  on  foot  to  connect  the  waters 

of  the  Hudson  with  the  Great  Lakes  by  the  Erie  Canal.  Mention  of  this  enterprise 
is  to  be  found  in  the  minutes  of  the  Chamber  of  Commerce  of  New  York  of  Jan- 
uary 3,  1786.  In  a  memorial  addressed  to  the  Chamber  by  Christopher  Collis  he 
asks  aid  for  the  enterprise  in  the  following  prophetic  language : 

"Your  memorialist  has  formed  a  design  of  opening  an  intercourse  with  the 
interior  parts  of  the  United  States,  by  an  artificial  inland  navigation,  along  the 
Mohawk  River  and  Wood  Creek  to  the  Great  Lakes,  a  design  which  must  evi- 
dently extend  the  commerce  of  this  city  with  exceeding  rapidity  beyond  what  it 
can  possibly  arrive  at  by  any  other  means  ;  a  design  which  Providence  has  mani- 
festly pointed  out,  and  v/hich,  in  the  hands  of  a  commercial  people,  must  evidently 


CANAL 


Hii(;i\.\i.\(;s  .1X1)  I, ROW  III  oi-  xi-ir  )<)k'K  cn  y 


tend  to  make-  tlu'iii  great  and  powerful  ;  and  which,  tliough  indetinite  in  its  advan- 
tages, may  be  eltccted  for  a  sum  perfectly  trifling  when  compared  with  the  advan- 
tages." 

The  nuniorialist  declared  that  he  had  examined  the  ground  "at  the  Cohoes,  CHAMBER  OF 

M  IVl  E  E 

the  Little  I'alls,  and  hort  Schux  U  r,  and  found  that  no  considerable  difficulty  exist- 
ed,'" and  that  he  had  securetl  "a  number  of  respectable  gentlemen  as  subscribers." 
He  asked  for  the  countenance  and  aid  of  the  Chamber  of  Commerce.  That  body 
responded  tiiat,  while  it  entertained  a  high  idea  of  the  feasibility  of  the  scheme  and 
wished  it  all  success,  it  had  no  funds  tliat  cnuld  be  ap])lied  to  the  purpose. 

The  physical  features  of  New  York  and  the  value  of  this  canal  were  sum- 
marized by  the  late  Abram  S.  Hewitt  when  Mayor  of  the  city.  In  a  message  to 
the  Board  of  Aldermen  in  January,  1888,  he  said : 

"The  State  of  New  York  owes  its  pre-eminence  among  the  States  of  the 
Union  chiefly  to  the  physical  fact  that  within  its  territory  the  great  Appalachian 
chain  of  mountains  falls  oflf,  so  that  communication  between  the  Great  Lakes  and 
the  ocean  may  be  secured  on  grades  so  low  as  to  offer  but  little  resistance  to  the 
tide  of  commerce  in  both  directions.  The  City  of  New  Y'ork  owes  its  precedence 
among  the  cities  of  the  Union  to  the  fact  that  it  has  a  great  ocean  harbor  of  un- 
equaled  proportions  and  of  inexhaustible  possibilities.  These  great  natural  advan- 
tages were  turned  to  account  by  the  foresight,  genius  and  energy  of  one  man, 
whose  monument  is  to  be  found  in  the  Erie  Canal,  and  in  the  vast  increase  in 
the  wealth  of  the  city  and  State  of  his  birth. 

"The  name  of  DeWitt  Clinton,  the  first  graduate  of  Columbia  College  after  DE  WITT 
the  Revolution.  Mayor  of  this  city  and  Governor  of  this  State,  will  always  be  held  ^'-'^'^^^ 
in  grateful  remembrance  by  the  generations  wdio  enjoy  the  fruits  of  the  incalculable 
benefits  which  he  conferred  upon  the  commonwealth.  He  laid  the  foundatioris  of 
its  prosperity  upon  an  enduring  basis.  Since  his  day  the  introduction  of  railways 
has  lessened,  but  has  not  destroyed,  the  natural  advantages  which  New  York  pos- 
sesses in  low-grade  lines  to  the  interior,  over  other  cities  of  the  Atlantic  seaboard." 

Clinton  started  to  dig  his  "ditch,"  363  miles  in  length,  on  the  4th  of  July,  181 7. 
amid  much  ridicule.  But  the  undertaking,  stupendous  as  it  was,  was  pushed  to 
completion  in  October,  1825. 

Thirty-five  years  later  the  construction  of  railroads  that  were  to  constitute  RAILROADS 
great  trunk  lines  was  begun.    The  successive  lines  completed  added  to  the  impor- 
tance of  New  Y^ork  City  as  a  commercial  center.     Its  precedence,  indeed,  became 
such  that  railroads  built  between  other  seaboard  cities  and  the  West  were  obliged 


3 


RAPID  TRANSIT 


to  ask  for  differential  rates  favorable  to  themselves.  These  rates  we/e  secured,  and 
have  lasted  until  our  day.  They  have  tended  to  build  up  other  lines  of  trans- 
portation, but  have  not  so  far  prevented  the  development  of  our  city  and  com- 
merce as  to  be  the  occasion  of  serious  complaint  here.  The  system  of  differential 
rates  is,  however,  abnormal,  and  cannot  be  allowed  to  stand  indefinitely. 
LOCAL  The  people  of  New  York  City,  while  giving  attention  to  problems  of  trans - 
PROBLEMS  portation  between  their  city  and  other  sections  of  the  country  north,  west  and 
south,  have  been  oi)liged  to  meet  local  ])roblems  due  to  the  physical  conditions  of 
their  vicinage.  The  first  settlement  was  at  the  extreme  southern  end  of  the  island 
of  Manhattan.  This  section  remains  until  our  day  the  center  of  the  activities  of 
our  people.  Population  has  increased  year  by  year,  and  it  has  covered  success- 
ively the  district  south  of  W  all  street,  south  of  Canal  street,  south  of  Twenty-third 
street,  south  of  the  liarU-m,  and  it  now  extends  north  of  the  Harlem  along  the 
Hudson  toward  Yonkers,  and  along  the  East  River  toward  the  Sound.  A  great 
city  has  grown  up  on  the  Bronx.  Neighboring  great  cities  have  grown  up 
across  the  North  and  East  Rivers.  Our  municipal  government  rules  to-day  the 
aft'airs  of  four  millions  of  people.  The  metropolitan  center,  including  the  nearby 
cities  of  New  Jersey,  embraces  a  total  population  of  four  and  three-quarter  mil- 
lions.    It  is  the  largest  center  in  the  world,  save  only  London. 

The  growth  from  south  to  north  to  a  distance  of  more  than  ten  miles,  always 
within  bounds  made  by  arms  of  the  sea,  and  the  growth  across  the  waters  contigu- 
ous to  the  island — the  centre  of  commercial  activity  on  the  island  itself  remaining 
constant  to  its  more  southern  parts — has  created  the  local  problems  mentioned,  and 
caused  developments  of  a  progressive  nature  that  will  be  treated  of  in  the  follow- 
ing chapters. 

DEVELOP-  In  a  way  the  successive  developments  made  have  served  to  fix  the  commercial 
MENTS  activities  at  the  southern  end  of  the  island.  It  has  been  a  case  of  "all  roads  lead  to 
Rome."  And  this  again  has  caused  developments  there  that  could  not  have  been 
dreamed  of  in  earlier  days.  One  of  these  is  a  form  of  construction  that 
permits  of  building  to  the  height  of  twenty  stories  and  more.  This  form  of  con- 
struction has  gone  forward  so  rapidly  and  to  such  an  extent  that  it  may  be  true 
to-day  that  the  section  of  the  city  south  of  the  City  Hall  gives  accommodation  to 
twice  as  many  people  as  it  contained  twenty  years  ago. 

A  factor  which  should  not  be  overlooked  in  the  study  of  a  problem  of  this 
nature  is  "the  flat,"  which  has  done  for  certain  residential  districts  what  the  skele- 
ton-framed skyscraper  later  did  for  the  commercial  and  financial  district — in- 


4 


BEGINNINGS  AND  GROWTH  OF  NEW  YORK  CITY 


creased  the  capacity  of  the  ground  area.  One  of  these  "Parisian  novehies"  had 
been  built  in  i8()5,  and  in  1870-71  two  large  apartment  houses  were  erected  on 
Eighteenth  and  Thirteenth  streets.  From  this  initiative  tlie  style  spread,  and  has 
had  nnich  to  do  with  increasing  the  density  of  pojiulation. 


TABLET  CITY   HALL  STATION 


5 


CHAPTER  II 


PLANS   FOR  RELIEF 


RAPID  I'li^-'  conditions  cxistin<4'  in   Xcw   York  illnstralc  tin.-  proposition  that  city 

TRANSIT  orowth  demands  rapid  and  certain  means  of  travel  between  different  sections  and 
NECESSARY  "  ,  ,     ,       ,  .  ,  .       ,      ,  ,      ,  , 

tlie  general  center.  Jn  the  absence  of  the  progressive  developments  that  have  taken 

place  dnring-  ihc  last  one  hundred  years,  the  growth  of  pojjulation  would  have  been 

checked  and  business  interests  imi^eded  in  large  nieasure.     I'Or  ])uri)Oses  of  com- 

nu  rce  the  people  of  a  great  business  ceiuer  are  far  more  effective  when  they  have 

the  means  to  go  to  and  fro  as  the  occasion  demands,  with  the  least  possible  loss  of 

time  and  tiie  least  inconvenience  and  fatigue. 

At  the  beginning  of  the  last  centm-y  the  people  of  New  York  had,  for  the 
time,  reasonable  facilities  of  transit.  The  city  was  so  small  that  stages  could 
reach  readily  all  parts  of  the  island  then  occupied,  'ihe  two  rivers  were  not 
barriers  to  movement.  At  a  very  early  date  people  foimd  it  not  inconvenient  to 
do  business  in  Xew  York  and  to  live  on  Long  Lsland  or  in  .\ew  Jersey. 
STEAM  \\  ith  the  introduction  of  vessels  propelled  by  steam,  about  1820,  a  noted 

VESSELS  development  took  place.  Transit  across  the  rivers  was  facilitated,  and  residen- 
tial places  of  importance  grew  up  on  the  opposite  shores  and  along  the  rivers 
well  to  the  north  and  east.  The  ferries  and  the  steamboat  lines  established  were 
very  notable,  surpassing  any  development  of  the  sort  elsewhere.  They  left 
little  to  be  desired  in  that  direction. 

In  1850  the  island  population  was  served,  so  far  as  interior  transportation 
was  concerned,  by  stages  and  omnibus  lines,  and  still  later  tram  cars  were  intro- 
duced. 

GRAND  The  first  practical  gain  in  rapid  transit  was  made  in  1875,  when  trains  were 

CENTRAL  l,rought  into  the  (irand  Central  .Station  at  I'ortv-second  street  over  a  four  track 
STATION 

system,  two  of  which  were  intended  for  local  trains. 

The  elevated  railroads  appeared  in  the  seventies.  A  short  section  in  Green- 
wich street  was  erected  in  1870;  but  it  was  not  until  ten  years  later  that  the 
several  structures  were  completed  to  the  Harlem  River. 


6 


PLANS  I'Ok'  l<  1:1. nil' 


The  elevated  system  was  a  ver}-  notable  acconiplislimeiit.  Criticism  of  it  ELEVATED 
from  an  engineering  standpoint  were  nnmerons  and  severe.  When  M.  De  ROADS 
Lcsseps  was  wliirled  aronnd  the  track  at  ( )ne-llundred-and-tenlli  street  he 
said,  "American  engineers  are  andacions."  The  precipitation  of  trains  to  the 
street  was  predicted  freely.  The  recorii  indicates  that  the  elevated  roads  are 
safer  than  surface  steam-roads.  It  was  said  that  the  constant  jar  and  strain 
would  impair  the  metal  to  such  an  extent  that  the  structure  would  become 
unsafe.  1  he  original  colunuis  and  girders  are  still  doing  duty.  Fifteen  years 
ago  a  thorough  examination  was  made  of  the  principal  members,  including  tests 
of  the  steel.  It  was  found  that  the  physical  properties  of  the  metal  had  under- 
gone no  change. 

The  population  north  of  Fourteenth  street  has  increased  threefold  since 
1870.  Doubtless  a  large  part  of  this  gain  is  directly  attributable  to  the  elevated 
system. 

The  next  advance  was  made  in  1883,  when  the  Brooklyn  Bridge  was  BROOKLYN 
opened.  The  territory  adjacent  to  the  Brooklyn  end  of  the  bridge,  although  so  BRIDGE 
near  to  the  business  part  of  Manhattan  Island,  had  remained  largely  undevel- 
oped. The  bridge  and  the  system  of  elevated  roads  that  followed  closely  upon 
its  completion  brought  the  outlying  sections  within  reasonable  traveling  time 
to  New  York.  The  growth  of  Brooklyn  has  been  rapid  ever  since.  It  was 
said,  many  years  ago,  that  Brooklyn  could  af¥ord  to  build  a  new  bridge  every 
ten  years. 

The  system  of  propelling  surface  cars  by  cable  was  introduced  in  1884.    It  CABLE  CARS 
answered  its  purpose  admirably  for  some  years,  and  was  then  displaced  by  the 
electric  system.    By  these  systems  the  cars  were  enlarged  and  movement  accel- 
erated. 

It  may  be  that  ten  years  ago,  or  even  five  years  ago,  many  people  in  THE  FUTURE 
New  York  believed  that  existing  systems  were  the  best  that  could  be 
devised ;  that  the  electric  cars  on  the  surface  and  the  elevated  trains  were 
entirely  satisfactory ;  and  that  nothing  remained  but  to  extend  accommodations 
as  population  increased.  They  had  become  used  to  the  trouble  of  climbing  to 
stations  well  lifted  above  the  streets.  They  had  forgotten  about  the  dangers  ot 
"roads  upon  stilts."  They  ignored  the  discomfort  to  dwellers  along  the  lines. 
They  recognized  how  unsightly  the  structures  were,  but  sank  regrets  in  view  of 
their  utility.  They  equally  minimized  the  objections  that  may  be  raised  against 
the  use  of  streets  by  a  surface  system  that  is  noisy  to  a  degree,  that  greatly  incon- 


7 


R.U'W  TRANSIT 


veniences  ordinary  traffic,  and  that  in  each  and  every  year  maims  and  kills  many 
victims.  It  is  possible  to-day  to  predict  with  safety  that  the  elevated  structures 
will  all  be  taken  down.  It  is  at  least  possible  to  hope  that  the  enormous  cars  now 
propelled  rapidly  over  our  streets  by  electricity  will  be  disused  in  the  more  or 
less  distant  future,  and  a  system  of  transportation  introduced  that  will  be  more 
convenient  and  less  objectionable.  For  it  would  be  unreasonable  to  suppose  that 
the  evolution  of  the  past  in  the  matter  of  transit  for  cities  is  to  end  with  the 
methods  now  in  use.  The  ultimate  goal  is  a  system,  or  systems,  that  will  be  not 
unsightly,  that  will  be  noiseless  to  a  reasonable  degree,  that  will  not  cause  undue 
inconvenience  to  any  persons  or  interests,  that  will  be  safe  for  passengers  and 
not  dangerous  to  others,  and  that  will  be  rapid.  This  is  the  goal ;  and  in  view 
of  progress  heretofore  made,  and  in  view  of  progress  at  large,  one  may  say  with 
confidence  that  it  will  be  reached. 


TABLET  CITY   HALL  STATION 


8 


CHAPTER  III. 


EARLY  SUBWAY  SCHEMES 


During  the  period  from  1868  to  1900  many  subway  schemes  were  brought 
forward  in  tlie  effort  to  provide  transportation  that  would  be  rapid  and  rehable, 
and  would  meet  at  least  the  demands  of  the  times.  Most  of  these  are  now  his- 
torical incidents  only. 

In  1868,  by  an  act  of  the  Legislature,  the  New  York  City  Central  Under-  NEW  YORK 
ground  Railway  Company  was  incorporated.    The  line  was  to  run  from  the  City  Q^^j^pj^j^ 
Hall  to  the  Harlem  River.    The  charter  granted  ample  powers  as  to  route,  UNDER- 
capital,  and  facilities  for  construction.    Although  the  standing  of  the  incor-  GROUND 
porators  indicates  that  their  purpose  was  serious,  no  practical  result  was  reached. 

Following  this,  in  1872,  an  act  was  passed  by  which  Cornelius  Vanderbilt  NEW  YORK 
and  others  were  incorporated,  as  the  New  York  City  Rapid  Transit  Company,  CITY  RAPID 
to  build  an  underground  road  from  the  City  Hall  to  connect  with  the  New 
York  &  Harlem  Railroad  and  with  the  New  York  Central.  This  company  was 
duly  organized  and  the  necessary  surveys  and  plans  were  made  for  the  con- 
struction of  the  road.  Adverse  criticisms  made  at  the  time  led  Commodore 
Vanderbilt  to  decide  that  he  would  not  construct  the  road.  Many  years  later 
Mr.  Hewitt  said :  "To  this  decision  the  members  of  his  famil} ,  who  succeeded 
in  the  management  of  the  New  York  Central  Railway,  uniformly  adhered ; 
although  they,  as  well  as  he,  always  insisted  that  the  road  ought  to  have  been 
constructed  and  would  have  proven  profitable,  probably,  to  the  New  York  Cen- 
tral Railroad."  Of  all  the  early  endeavors  to  provide  rapid  transit  this  was  the 
only  one  supported  by  sufficient  capital. 

Other  companies  were  incorporated  as  follows : 

The  Beach  Pneumatic  Transit  Company  in  1868.  OTHER 
The  Central  Tunnel  Railway  Company  in  1881.  SCHEMES 
The  New  York  &  New  Jersey  Tunnel  Railway  Company  in  1883. 
The  Terminal  Underground  Railway  Company  in  1886. 
The  Underground  Railroad  Company  of  the  City  of  New  York  (a  con- 
solidation of  two  companies)  in  1896. 
The  Rapid  Transit  Underground  Railroad  Company  in  1897. 


9 


RAPID  TRANSIT 


Of  all  the  plans  brought  forward  the  most  interesting  and  perhaps  the  most 
important  was  the  Beach  Pneumatic,  otherwise  known  as  the  Broadway  Under- 
ground Railway.  It  was  the  only  one  upon  which  constructive  work  was  done. 
A  full-sized  section  of  a  tunnel  was  built  on  the  line  adopted,  and  is  to-day  in 
good  condition.  The  route  selected  by  the  company  had  been  advocated  by  every 
rapid  transit  board  since  that  time,  namely,  from  "the  Battery,  or  Bowling 
Green,  under  Broadway  to  Madison  Square ;  thence  under  Broadway  to  its 
junction  with  Central  Park  and  Eighth  avenue;  with  a  branch  under  Madison 
Square  and  Madison  avenue  to  and  under  the  Jlarlem  River." 

The  first  company,  the  Beach  Pneumatic  Transit  Company,  incorporated  in 
l868,  was  emj-iowered  to  "provide  for  the  transmission  of  letters,  packages,  and 
merchandise  in  the  cities  of  New  York  and  Brooklyn,  and  the  North  and  East 
Rivers,  by  means  of  pneumatic  tubes  to  be  constructed  beneath  the  surface  of  the 
streets  and  public  places." 

The  charter  provided  that  the  company  must,  as  a  preliminary  step  and  to 
demonstrate  the  practicability  of  its  plans,  "first  lay  down  and  construct  one  line 
of  said  pneumatic  tubes  from  the  Post-Ofifice  in  Nassau  street,  between  Liberty 
,  and  Cedar  streets,  in  the  City  of  New  York,  not  extending  above  Fourteenth 
street,  which  shall  be  put  in  successful  operation,  and  continue  so  for  the  period 
of  three  months,  *  *  *  before  proceeding  to  lay  down  and  construct  any 
other  lines  of  such  pneumatic  tubes." 

As  amended  m  1873  the  company  was  permitted  to  "construct,  maintain,  and 
operate  an  undei  ground  railway  for  the  transportation  of  passengers  and  prop- 
erty." The  capital  stock  of  the  corporation  was  fixed  at  $10,000,000.  A  two- 
track  section,  from  Bowling  Green  to  Fourteenth  street,  was  to  be  finished  in 
three  years,  and  the  remainder  within  five  years  thereafter.  The  act  stated  that 
the  water  and  gas  pipes  and  sewers  must  be  maintained,  and  that  street  travel 
must  not  be  interrupted  during  construction.  The  work  was  to  be  done  under 
the  supervision  of  a  board  of  three  engineer-commissioners,  one  of  whom  was 
named  in  the  act,  and  two  of  whom  were  to  be  appointed  by  the  Governor. 

It  was  proposed  to  operate  the  tunnel  by  means  of  compressed  air,  the  car 
being  circular  in  cross  section  and  approximately  fitting  the  tube.  This,  as  was 
pointed  out  at  the  time,  would  do  away  with  the  dust  and  obnoxious  gases  aris- 
ing from  the  combustion  of  coal  in  a  locomotive. 

Work  was  begun  on  the  tunnel  at  the  corner  of  Broadway  and  Warren 
street,  and  a  section  was  built  under  Broadway  to  the  southerly  side  of  Murray 


10 


/• . ;  RL  \ '  sun  WAV  SCHEMES 


street.  The  curved  portion  at  the  cbrner  of  Warren  street  was  constructed  of 
cast  iron  plates,  the  straight  portion  being  Hned  witli  brick  to  a  diameter  of  8 
feet  in  tlie  clear.  The  tunnel  was  l)uiU  by  means  of  a  shield  which  was  forced 
forward,  2  feet  at  a  time,  by  hydraulic  jacks. 

Early  in  1870  the  tunnel  was  thrown  open  for  inspection,  and  a  car  was  experi- 
run  from  one  end  to  the  other,  the  object  being  to  convince  the  public  that  the  MENTAL 
plans  were  safe  and  practicable,  l^ut  all  of  the  work  done  failed  of  successful 
issue.  Engineers  of  prominence  were  divided  in  theii  ojiinion  as  to  the  possi- 
bility of  building  an  underground  road  through  narrow  streets  lined  with  heavy 
buildings.  Even  in  the  seventies  the  Beach  plans  were  condemned  because  it 
was  thought  that  the  tube  could  not  be  constructed  under  the  street  in  front  of 
such  a  massive  structure  as  the  Astor  House.  Since  the  methods  were  not 
endorsed  by  engineers,  financial  interests  were  chary  about  investing  money  in  it. 
Many  believed  that  if  built  the  returns  would  be  insufficient  to  pay  operating 
expenses  and  interest  on  the  invested  capital. 

The  capitalists  and  engineers  of  those  days  should  not  be  too  hastily  con-  ELECTRIC 

TRACTION 

demned  as  shortsighted.  The  needs  of  the  people  of  our  city  for  rapid  transit 
increased  greatly  in  the  next  thirty  years ;  the  population  increased  greatly ;  the 
city's  wealth  increased,  and  notable  advances  were  made  in  the  science  of  tun- 
nel construction  and  of  the  movement  of  trains.  A  revolution  was  effected  in  the 
matter  last  named  by  the  introduction  of  electric  traction.  We  would  have 
had  no  subv.ay  to  this  time  if  private  enterprise  had  been  relied  upon. 


TAKLET  -CITV  HALL  STATION 


II 


CHAPTER  IV. 
BRIDGES  TO  BROOKLYN 


THE  BROOKLYN  BRIDGE. 

The  concentration  of  business  at  the  lower  end  of  Manhattan,  and  the  devel- 
opment of  the  district  across  the  East  River  for  residential  and  later  for  business 
purposes,  caused  attention  to  be  given  at  an  early  date  to  the  matter  of  better 
transit  facilities  in  that  direction. 

A  proposition  to  build  a  chain  suspension  bridge  over  the  East  River,  with  a  BROOKLYN 
clear  span  of  1,500  feet  and  a  length  of  2,100  feet  between  the  "toll  gates,"  was 
proposed  as  early  as  1829.  The  structure  was  to  have  been  28  feet  wide,  the 
height  of  the  granite  piers  from  the  water  line  to  the  roadway  160  feet,  and  from 
the  roadway  to  the  extreme  point  of  the  pier  65  feet  This  and  similar  schemes 
came  to  naught,  until,  in  1867,  the  Legislature  passed  an  act  incorporating  the 
New  York  Bridge  Company.  In  May  of  that  year  John  A.  Roebling,  who  had, 
by  designing  and  erecting  the  great  Niagara  Suspension  Bridge,  earned  a  high 
reputation  in  this  brar^ch  of  engineering,  was  appointed  chief  engineer.  A  sur- 
vey of  the  line  was  made  in  the  summer  of  1869,  and  the  Brooklyn  tower  located. 
It  was  while  engaged  in  this  work  that  Mr.  Roebling  met  with  an  accident  that 
resulted  in  his  death.  In  the  same  year  his  son,  Washington  A.  Roebling,  was 
appointed  to  the  position  formerly  occupied  by  his  father,  and  under  his  super- 
vision the  work  was  carried  to  completion  in  May,  1883. 

In  May,  1869,  the  War  Department,  in  compliance  with  an  act  of  Congress,  govern- 
appointed  Generals  Wrisrht  and  Newton  and  Major  Kingf  a  commission  of  gov-  ^^^"^ 

^     ,       ,  .  COMMISSION 

ernment  engineers  to  examine  into  the  feasibility  of  the  project,  and  to  report 

whether  the  bridge  would  be  an  obstruction  to  navigation.  This  resulted  in 
changing  the  clear  height  to  135  feet  above  mean  high  tide,  and  in  widening  the 
bridge  from  80  to  85  feet,  in  order  to  provide  a  double  roadway  on  each  side. 
In  those  days  it  was  not  contemplated  to  use  the  bridge  for  the  passage  of 
ordinary  street  cars,  but  to  furnish  it  with  a  cable  system  of  its  own.  The  im- 
portance of  the  slight  increase  in  width  mentioned  can  hardly  be  overestimated, 


13 


RAPID  TRANSIT 


TOWERS 


since  it  made  provision  for  the  vehicle  and  trolley  traffic  of  the  present  time.  In 
June,  1874,  an  act  was  passed  changing  the  name  to  that  of  the  New  York  and 
Brooklyn  Bridge,  and  making  it  a'  public  work  to  be  constructed  by  the  two 
cities,  Brooklyn  paymg  two-thirds  of  the  cost  and  New  York  one-third. 
FOUNDA-  The  foundation  of  the  Brooklyn  tower  was  begun  in  1870.  The  caisson,  a 
TIONS  rectangular  chamber  102  feet  wide  by  168  feet  long  and  having  a  solid  roof  15 
feet  thick,  was  sunk  to  a  depth  of  44^  feet.  Brick  piers  were  then  built  in  the 
air-chamber,  which  was  finally  completely  filled  with  concrete.  As  the  caisson 
was  sunk  the  granite  masonry  forming  the  tower  proper  was  built  above  it.  The 
New  York  foundation  was  also  carried  to  solid  rock,  the  caisson  in  this  case 
being  slightly  larger  than  the  other,  102  feet  wide  by  172  feet  long.  The  cutting 
edges  were  extended  to  a  depth  of  78  feet  below  mean  high  water,  this  being 
necessary  because  of  the  i)resence  of  extensive  beds  of  quicksand  resting  on  the 
rock.  The  roof  was  22  feet  thick  and  was  surmounted  by  a  cofferdam  reach- 
ing to  high  water,  thereby  increasing  the  buoyancy  and  lessening  the  pressure 
on  the  frames  during  sinking. 
THE  The  towers  are  not  solid  masses  of  masonry,  but  each  is  composed  of  three 
buttressed  shafts  joined  together  up  to  the  roadway  by  four  connecting  walls. 
In  the  Brooklyn  tower  the  course  of  the  walls  next  the  caisson  is  17  feet  thick; 
the  thickness  diminishes  by  offsets  until  at  high  water  it  is  but  loi  feet.  This 
forms  two  well  holes  which  are  filled  with  concrete  below  water  line  and  left 
open  from  there  to  the  roadway.  Spaces  are  also  left  from  2  feet  above  the 
crown  of  the  arches  to  within  4^  feet  of  the  top  of  the  tower.  Above  the  road- 
way the  tower  consists  of  three  columns  having  an  oblong  section  ;  they  are 
united  at  the  top  by  arches  having  a  span  of  335  feet.  Each  arch  is  formed 
by  the  intersection  of  two  arcs  of  circles  having  a  radius  of  48  1-6  feet.  Below 
the  water  the  masonry  is  largely  limestone,  except  the  facing  of  the  two  upper 
courses,  which  is  granite ;  the  backing  from  high  water  to  the  roadway  is  granite, 
which  constitutes  all  the  remainder  of  the  tower.  At  the  towers  the  height  of 
the  roadway  is  119^  feet,  the  top  of  the  towers  being  272  feet  from  the  water. 
The  height  from  the  bottom  of  the  foundation  to  the  top  is,  in  the  Brooklyn 
tower,  316  feet,  and  in  the  other  349  feet.  At  high  water  mark  the  towers 
measure  141  by  59  feet,  at  the  roadway  131  by  48,  and  at  the  base  of  the  cor- 
nice 126  by  43.  The  greatest  pressure  at  any  point  is  in  the  tower  masonry  at 
the  base  of  the  central  shaft  at  the  roadway,  where  each  square  foot  supports 
about  26  tons. 


14 


Jlk'OOKDX  liKIDi.li 


At  a  distance  of  930  feet  from  each  tower  is  an  anchorage  which  ANCHORAGE 
rests  on  tiniher  grillage,  and  in  which  the  ends  of  the  four  cables 
are  anchored.  Each  anchorage  weighs  60,000  tons  and  is  built 
solid,  with  the  exception  of  tunnels  or  openings  for  the  passage 
of  the  cables.  Near  the  outside  lower  angle  of  each  anchorage  are  four  anchor 
plates  (one  for  each  end  of  each  cable),  which  are  held  down  by  the  dead 
weight  of  masonry  piled  upon  them.  Each  plate  weighs  23  tons,  and  in  shape 
resembles  an  enormous  wheel  having  a  hub  and  sixteen  spokes.  The  connection 
between  the  cable  wires  and  the  plates  is  made  with  eyebars,  which  start  in 
double  sets  from  each  plate,  one  curving  over  the  other,  and  are  vertical  for  a 
distance  of  about  25  feet,  when  they  curve  about  90  degrees  on  a  circle  having  a 
radius  of  49^  feet.  The  bars  have  an  average  length  of  12J  feet.  The  first  three 
sets  have  a  section  of  7  by  3  inches,  the  next  three  8  by  3,  the  next  three  9  by  3 
inches ;  the  tenth  set  is  double  in  number  and  each  bar  is  by  9  inches  in  sec- 
tion. Piercing  the  center  of  the  anchor  plates  are  two  parallel  sets  of  apertures, 
each  containing  nine  holes.  A  bar  is  passed  through  each  hole  and  a  7-inch  pin 
lun  through  the  eyes  or  holes  in  the  end  of  each  bar.  These  bolts  bear  firmly 
against  the  under  side  of  the  anchor  plate,  and  serve  to  distribute  the  strain  to 
every  part  of  the  plate.  The  next  series  of  bars  is  attached  to  these  by  a  bolt  5 
feet  in  length  and  5  inches  in  diameter.  In  this  manner  the  succeeding  bars  are 
united,  forming  a  chain  having  very  long  links  connected  to  each  other  by  bolts 
passing  through  the  eyes.  At  each  knuckle  of  the  chains  a  large  block  of  granite 
was  placed  with  a  heavy  cast  iron  plate  inserted  as  a  bearing  for  the  heads  of 
the  links.  The  bars  in  the  last  link  are  increased  in  number  to  38,  and  are 
arranged  in  four  courses,  one  above  the  other.  The  wires  of  the  cable  are  divided 
into  19  strands  and  each  strand  is  fastened  around  a  grooved  eve-piece  which  is 
held  between  two  of  the  anchor  bars. 

The  first  work  connected  with  cable  making  was  the  passing  of  a  rope  froni  CABLES 
one  anchorage  to  the  other  over  the  towers.   By  August,  1876,  an  endless  rope  had 
been  placed  from  a  driving  engine  at  the  Brooklyn  anchorage  to  and  around 
sheaves  at  the  New  York  anchorage. 

The  first  operation,  preliminary  to  placing  the  cables  in  place,  was  that  of 
adjusting  four  wires,  one  for  each  cable,  to  be  used  as  guides  in  obtaining  an 
exactly  uniform  deflection  of  all  the  others.  Four  wires  of  uniform  size  and 
weight  were  selected.  These  were  adjusted  to  a  tangent  line  for  the  land  spans, 
whose  position  had  been  calculated,  and  to  a  level  line  at  the  lowest  point  of  ihc 


15 


RAl'ID  TRANSIT 


curve  for  the  center  of  the  span.  Allowances  were  made  for  the  temperature 
prevailing  at  the  time. 

STRENGTH  OF         The  cables  were  made  of  galvanized  steel  wires,  No.  8,  Birmingham  gauge. 
CABLES 

The  strength  of  the  cables  per  square  inch  of  solid  section  is  160,000  pounds. 
Each  cable  is  composed  of  19  strands,  each  of  which  contains  278  wires.  The 
last  wire  of  the  cables  was  run  over  October  5,  1878.  At  a  distance  of  21^ 
feet  from  the  anchor  bars  heavy  clamps  were  put  on  the  cables  to  draw  them 
to  a  cylindrical  form.  This  was  made  necessary  as  the  anchor  bars  spread  so  as 
to  cover  a  space  5  feet  square.  The  cables  were  finally  wrapped  with  galvanized 
iron  wire,  the  finished  diameter  being  155  inches. 

On  top  of  the  towers  the  cables  rest  in  saddles  which  furnish  a  bearing  with 
easy  vertical  curves.  In  i)lan  they  are  rectangular,  13  by  4  1-12  feet,  and  have 
an  extreme  height  at  the  center  of  4^  feet  and  a  thickness  of  4  inches.  Each 
cable  passes  over  the  center  of  its  saddle  in  a  groove  19I  inches  wide  by  17^ 
mches  deep.  The  saddles  rest  on  steel  rollers,  which  in  turn  rest  on  planed  plates. 
This  permits  the  cables  to  move  freely  backward  and  forward,  and  to  accom- 
modate themselves  to  any  unequal  loading,  and  also  to  adapt  themselves  to 
changes  in  temperature. 

Passing  over  the  towers  alongside  of  the  cables  are  100  steel  wire  rope  stays, 
arranged  25  to  each  cable,  and  secured  at  each  end  to  the  trusses  carrying  the 
floor  system.  The  longest  extend  to  a  distance  of  about  400  feet  each  side  of 
the  towers,  and  are  spaced  15  feet  apart  at  the  trusses. 
SUSPENDED  The  floor  system  consists  of  six  longitudinal  trusses  connected  by  floor 
: STRUCTURE  beams,  the  whole  being  hung  from  the  cables  by  suspender  ropes.  The  sus- 
pender ropes  are  of  twisted  galvanized  steel  wire,  and  are  from  i|  to  i|  inches 
in  diameter.  Each  is  capable  of  sustaining  about  50  tons,  or  five  times  the 
load  it  will  ever  be  subjected  to.  As  the  floor  system  is  in  a  continuous  line  from 
the  top  of  the  anchorages,  and  as  the  cables  leave  the  anchorages  a  few  feet 
below,  the  floor  beams  rest  on  the  cables  until  the  latter  rise  above  the  grade. 
The  beams  are  here  laid  on  posts  resting  on  the  cables,  which  vary  in  height  to 
suit  the  distances,  and  are  braced  by  plate  brackets.  The  lower  end  of  each 
post  is  bolted  to  the  upper  half  of  a  strap  encircling  the  cable.  The  whole  num- 
ber of  suspender  ropes  is  1,520,  and  the  posts  number  280.  The  floor  beams 
were  made  in  half  lengths,  and  when  riveted  together  at  the  center  formed  a 
continuous  l;eam  86  feet  long.  They  are  32  inches  deep,  9f  inches  wide,  and  each 
weighs  4  tons.    Each  has  two  top  and  two  bottom  chords  so  united  as  to  form  a 

t6 


BROOKLYN  HRIDCE 


triangular,  latticed  girder.  Tlie  chords  are  of  steel  channel  bars.  I  he  beams 
are  spaced  7|  feet  between  centers,  and  between  each  pair  is  placed  an  I-beam, 
which  rests  on  the  bottom  truss  chords,  so  that  the  planking  is  supported  at 
every  2)i  feet.  The  work  of  placmg  the  lloor  beams  was  begun  at  the  towers, 
and  carried  each  way  at  the  same  time,  in  order  to  load  the  cables  uniformly. 

The  bridge  is  divided  by  six  longitudinal  trusses  into  five  passage  ways,  the  PROMENADE 
trusses  being  of  the  following  heights,  measured  from  the  top  of  the  floor  beams :  ^Q^^^y^y 
The  two  outside  ones  7^  feet,  and  the  four  intervening  ones  15  feet  yh  inches. 
Across  the  central  opening  is  a  system  of  light  beams  supporting  the  promenade, 
which  is  12  feet  above  the  floor  beams.  The  roadways  at  the  outside  are  i2>% 
feet  wide  in  the  clear,  and  although  only  designed  for  vehicles,  each  now  has  a 
trolley  track.  The  two  remaining  divisions  are  12  2-3  feet  wide  in  the  clear, 
and  are  used  for  passenger  cars.  As  the  foot  passenger  approaches  the  towers 
he  ascends  a  few  steps,  the  walk  dividing  and  passing  through  each  f)f  the  tower 
arches  on  a  flooring  laid  on  the  beams  over  the  car  tracks. 

To  prevent  horizontal  vibrations  and  to  resist  the  force  of  the  wind,  there  VIBRATION 
are  wind  braces  placed  beneath  the  floor  beams.  These  are  steel  wire  ropes 
from  2  to  3  inches  in  diameter,  and  are  anchored  at  the  four  facing  corners  of 
the  towers  to  eye  bolts  set  in  the  masonry.  From  the  corners  to  which  they 
are  attached  they  pass  diagonally  across  the  floor  beams  to  the  opposite  side  of 
the  bridge,  where  they  are  secured.  The  longest  ones  reach  about  half  way 
across.  Similar  braces  are  provided  on  the  short  spans.  As  a  further  precaution, 
and  particularly  to  secure  stability  at  the  center  of  the  span,  where  the  braces 
are  of  little  effect,  the  outside  cables  are  drawn  in  a  short  distance  toward  the 
center.  To  allow  for  expansion  and  contraction  of  the  trusses,  slip  joints  are 
formed  between  the  towers  and  anchorages  and  in  the  main  span.  The  aggre- 
gate weight  of  the  suspended  structure,  including  cables,  trusses,  suspenders, 
braces,  timber  flooring,  and  rails,  is  14,680  tons ;  the  estimated  transitory  load  is 
3,100  tons,  making  the  total  weight  of  the  superstructure  17,780  tons. 

The  Brooklyn  approach  is  971  feet  long  on  the  center  line,  and  is  100  feet  APPROACHES 
wide  throughout.  It  spans  several  streets  by  plate  girders,  and  has  one  curve  at 
about  200  feet  from  Sands  street.  The  New  York  approach  is  1,562^  feet  long, 
begins  at  grade  at  Park  Row,  and  rises  3.25  feet  per  hundred  to  the  rear  of 
the  anchorage.  It  is  100  feet  wide  for  about  500  feet  of  the  distance,  and  85 
for  the  remainder.  At  Franklin  Square  is  an  opening  measuring  210  feet  on  one 
side  and  170  on  the  other,  which  is  spanned  by  a  bridge.    The  other  streets  are 


17 


RAI'lD  TRANSIT 


crossed  by  semi-circular  brick  arches.  Both  approaches  consist  of  arches  rest- 
ing on  massive  piers,  the  fronts  being  entirely  of  granite.  The  cornice  over  the 
arches  has  a  dentil  course  below,  surmounted  by  a  heavy  projecting  coping 
course.  l  iie  whole  is  capped  by  an  ornamental  granite  i)arapet.  The  arches  are 
used  as  stores  and  warehouses. 
OPERATION  When  the  bridge  was  opened  the  cars  were  moved  by  an  endless  cable 
operated  by  engines  located  beneath  the  Brooklyn  approach.  This  service  soon 
proved  to  be  inatle(juate,  and  the  lliir.l-rail  electric  system  was  introduced  and  is 
now  in  efifect.  As  a  further  improvement,  and  in  order  to  accommodate  the 
travel  using  the  elevated  roads  of  Brooklyn,  connection  was  made  with  these 
loads  so  that  the  passage  of  the  bridge  could  be  made  without  change.  In  addi- 
tion to  this  a  trolley  track  was  laid  along  each  roadway  in  order  that  all  the 
trolley  lines  in  the  Borough  could  cross  the  bridge  without  interruption.  All 
these  changes  made  necessary  the  complete  re-designing  and  re-construction  of 
the  Brooklyn  approaches,  and  also  the  changing  of  the  station  at  the 
western  end. 

COST         The  financial  condition  of  the  bridge  on  March  31,  1H83,  shortly  before  it 
was  opened  to  traffic,  was  stated  as  follows: 

Cash  received  from  New  \'ork,   $4,871,900.00 

Cash  received  from  Brooklyn,   9,423,692.73 

Cash  received  fmni  rents,  iiuerest,  sale  of 

material,  &c   391.463.93 

lotal,  $14,687,056.66 

There  is  still  due  from  the  City  of  New  York,  216,666.66 
And    from    I'.rooklyn   433.333-34 

Total  cost  of  bridge,  $15,337,056.66 

ADMINIS-  During  the  period  occupied  by  its  erection  New  York  was  in  the  clutches  of 

TRATIVE  J  j^ypej  rinp-,  an  audacious  and  unscrupulous  gang  of  thieves.  Yet,  w^hen  the 
INTEGRITY  t> 

accounts  were  finally  audited,  every  dollar  of  the  appropriations  was  found  to 

have  been  expended  in  wages  or  material,  and  its  actual  face  value  was  repre- 
sented in  the  completed  structure.    The  ring  had  proposed  otherw^ise  and  the 


lih'(j()KI.)W  liRllH.li 


belief  was  general  that  the  bridge  treasury  had  been  looted.  Mayor  William  C. 
llavemeyer  ai)pointed  a  committee  to  investigate  the  matter.  Abram  S.  Hewitt 
was  a  member  oi  that  committee.  In  speaking  of  the  results  of  this  in<[uiry, 
Mr.  Hewitt  said : 

"The  duty  was  performed  without  fear  or  favor.  The  methods  by  which  ^^^^^^^^^'^ 
the  ring  proposed  to  benefit  themselves  were  clear  enough,  but  its  members  fled 
before  they  succeeded  in  reimbursing  themselves  for  the  preliminary  expenses 
which  they  had  defrayed.  With  their  flight  a  new  era  connnenced,  and  during 
the  three  years  I  acted  as  a  trustee  I  am  sure  that  no  fraud  was  committed,  and 
that  none  was  possible.  Since  that  time  the  board  has  been  controlled  by  trustees, 
some  of  whom  are  thorough  experts  in  bridge  building,  and  the  others  men  of 
such  high  character  that  the  suggestion  of  malpractice  is  improbable  to 
absurdity. 

"The  bridge  has  not  only  been  honestly  built,  but  it  may  be  safely  asserted 
that  it  could  not  now  be  duplicated  at  the  same  cost.  Much  money  might,  how- 
ever, have  been  saved  if  the  work  had  not  been  delayed  through  lack  of  means 
and  unnecessary  obstacles  interposed  by  mistaken  public  officials.  Measured  by 
its  capacity  and  the  limitations  imposed  on  its  construction  by  its  relation  to  the 
interests  of  traffic  and  navigation,  it  is  the  cheapest  structure  ever  erected  by  the 
genius  of  man.'' 

In  a  certain  sense  this  bridge  was  an  experiment.  That  it  would  largely  SUCCESS  OF 

THE  BRIDGE 

eliminate  the  East  River  as  an  obstacle  to  travel  to  and  from  Brooklyn,  and 
that  it  would  place  the  outlying  districts  of  that  city  at  the  door  of  New  York, 
were  facts  known  and  appreciated  by  its  promoters ;  but  whether  the  people 
would  avail  themselves  of  the  increased  facilities  afforded  was  a  matter  of  freely 
expressed  doubts.  To  convince  oneself  that  the  bridge  has  more  than  fulfilled 
all  the  expectations  of  its  projectors,  it  is  only  necessary  to  view  the  vast  mul- 
titudes that  are  continuously  passing  across  it.  But  the  real  work  it  has  accom- 
plished can  best  be  ascertained  by  an  examination  of  the  sections  of  Brooklyn, 
formerly  waste  spaces,  that  are  now  covered  with  the  homes  of  people,  a  large 
portion  of  whom  resort  daily  to  New  York. 

We  have  extended  our  notes  on  the  Brooklyn  Bridge  to  considerable  length 
because  of  its  vast  importance  in  providing  easy  transit  between  sections  of  the 
city  that  were  separated  by  a  natural  barrier,  because  it  was  the  first  municipal 
undertaking  on  the  line  of  rapid  transit,  and  because  the  bridge  is  beautiful  to  a 

19 


/  VILLI  A  MSB  URGII     B  RIDGE 

degree  as  well  as  useful.  It  is  said  to  be  the  most  iuspiring  example  of  sus-  ITS 
pended  bridge  construction  in  the  world.  It  is  doubtful  whether  it  will  be 
duplicati'd  ;ui\ where-  in  the  future.  Its  lofty  towers  and  its  graceful  span  arc 
visible  to  ever\i)ne  wlio  enters  our  harbor.  It  is  a  notable  monument  to  the 
genius  of  the  engineers  who  planned  it  and  to  the  public  spirit  of  those  citizens 
who,  with  untiring  zeal  in  the  face  of  great  obstacles,  so  worked  that  it  was 
carried  to  completion.  It  typified  union  between  nearby  centers  of  unrelated 
population.  It  has  led  to  the  conception  of  that  political  union  which  has  made 
New  York  the  second  city  on  the  globe.  It  brought  the  men  of  both  sections 
into  collaboration  for  transportation  facilities  of  far  wider  scope  and  usefulness. 


WILLIAMSBURGH  BRIDGE. 

A  second  suspension  bridge  over  the  East  River  was  begun  in  1896  and  CAPACITY 
formally  opened  in  December,  1903.  It  spans  the  river  between  the  foot  of 
Delancey  street,  Manhattan,  and  the  foot  of  South  Fifth  and  South  Sixth  streets, 
Brooklyn,  and  has  a  total  length,  from  the  entrance  at  street  grade  in  Man- 
hattan to  the  entrance  in  Brooklyn,  of  7,200  feet.  Through  its  entire  length  it 
has  a  clear  width  of  118  feet,  and  provides  for  two  elevated  railway  tracks,  four 
street  railway  tracks,  two  18-foot  roadways,  two  footpaths,  and  two  bicycle  paths. 
It  is  very  remarkable  in  its  capacity  to  carry  traffic. 

The  foundation  piers,  two  for  each  tower,  were  sunk  to  bed  rock,  about  70  CAISSONS 
feet  below  mean  high  water,  by  means  of  timber  caissons  similar  to  those  used  in 
the  old  bridge,  but  different  in  one  essential  point.  The  entire  caisson  was  stiff- 
ened with  a  series  of  massive  plate-steel  riveted  trusses,  eight  in  all,  which 
extended  entirely  across  it  from  wall  to  wall.  The  working  chamber  was  also 
strengthened  with  two  solid  bulkheads  built  across  it.  Level  with  the  bottom  of 
the  walls  was  a  framework  of  16-inch  timbers  bolted  to  the  side  walls  with  tic 
rods.  At  each  intersection  vertical  posts  reached  from  this  frame  to  the  roof, 
and  the  whole  system  was  tied  together  and  stiffened  against  lateral  distortion  by 
diagonal  struts  and  tie  rods.  The  object  of  this  bracing  and  truss  work  was  not 
merely  to  enable  the  roof  to  carry  the  superincumbent  load  of  masonry,  but  to 
enable  the  whole  caisson  to  endure  without  distortion  the  heavv  transverse 
strains  to  which  it  would  be  subjected  should  it  become  "hung"  upon  any  pro- 
jecting point  of  the  uneven  rock  bottom.  Each  caisson  was  built  upon  launch- 
ing ways  and  floated  to  its  destination. 

The  piers  are  built  of  limestone  up  to  low  water  level,  above  which  they 


2T 


RAPID  TRANSIT 


consist  of  a  j^ranite  facing  witli  a  limestone  backing.  They  are  fuiished  with 
two  heavy  coping  courses  of  simple  and  pleasing  design,  and  one  pedestal  course 
of  granite  blocks. 

ANCHORAGE  'fh^  anchorages  measure  182  feet  in  width,  158  feet  in  depth,  and  120  feet 
from  the  foundation  to  the  coping.  Forty  feet  of  the  mass  is  below  the  street 
level,  above  which  it  rises  some  80  feet.  The  total  pull  of  the  four  cables  is 
20,250  tons.  The  anchorage  could  only  be  moved  by  being  rotated  ui)on  its 
"toe"  as  an  a.xis,  or  by  sliding  bodily  forward.  To  resist  rotation  the  masonry  is 
massed  at  the  rear,  most  of  it  being  directly  above  the  anchor  plates  to  which  the 
cables  are  secured,  the  forward  half  being  of  hollow  construction.  Sliding  is 
resisted  by  the  mass  of  earth  at  the  toe  and  by  the  frictional  resistance  between 
the  masonry  itself  and  the  earth  upon  which  it  rests;  this  is  also  increased  by 
the  stepping  of  the  bottom  of  the  foundation. 
TOWERS  At  each  corner  of  each  of  the  tower  foundations,  or  piers,  is  a  large  block  of 
dressed  granite  upon  each  of  which  rests  a  casting  forming  the  base  of  a  leg,  or 
colunm.  of  the  tower,  l^ach  half  of  each  tower  is  composed  of  four  columns 
'  which  are  8  feet  square  at  the  bottom  and  taper  to  a  square  of  4  feet  at  a 
height  of  20  feet,  the  latter  section  being  then  maintained  throughout  their  full 
height.  The  columns  are  310  feet  in  height,  and  are  built  up  of  two  thick- 
nesses of  plate  riveted  togetiier.  The  base  is  stiffened  by  diaphragms,  but  in 
the  upper  4-foot  section  there  are  eight  built-up  Z-bars,  two  on  each  inside  face  of 
ihe  colunni.  All  the  columns  are  vertical  up  to  the  level  of  the  roadway,  above 
which  they  have  a  batter  toward  each  other  of  14  feet  in  a  height  of  215  feet. 
The  four  columns  are  strongly  united  by  bracing,  and  just  below  the  floor  a 
system  of  lattice  bracing  is  placed  entirely  around  each  tower  and  also  between 
the  towers.  Above  the  roadway  the  towers  are  tied  together  by  latticed  and 
diagonal  members.  The  saddle  castings  upon  which  the  cables  rest  are  located 
immediately  above  the  legs  of  the  towers,  the  weight  being  distributed  and  the 
structure  stiffened  at  this  point  by  a  system  of  deep  girders. 
CABLES  Each  of  the  four  cables  consists  of  37  strands  of  No.  8  wire,  and  each 
strand  is  made  up  of  281  wires,  so  that  in  each  cable  there  are  10,397  wires. 
The  specifications  required  a  tensile  strength  of  200,000  pounds  per  squarr- 
inch  of  section,  and  an  elongation  of  at  least  5  per  cent,  in  a  length  of  8  inches. 
Instead  of  wrapping  the  cables  with  wire  in  order  to  protect  them  from  the 
atmosphere,  as  w^as  done  with  the  Brooklyn  Bridge  cables,  they  were  enclosed  in 
i-16-inch  sheet  steel  which  reaches  from  one  suspender  band  to  another.  The 


22 


iriLIJ.IMSIU  'Kiili  liKinGE 


suspenders,  which  are  20  feet  apart,  are  steel  wire  rope;  they  are  attached  to 
the  stiffening  trusses  at  their  pt)int  of  intersection  with  the  floor  beams. 

The  saddles  weigh  over  32  tons  each.     The  cable  rests  in  a  groove  struck  SADDLES 
in  a  i)lanc  parallel  with  the  axis  of  the  hridge  and  on  a  radius  of  21  feet  6i 
inches.    The  saddle  is  supported  upon  22  steel  channel  beams,  and  movement  of 
the  saddle  is  provided  for  by  40  steel  rollers  placed  between  the  saddle  casting 
and  the  beams. 

In  order  to  compensate  for  the  vertical  distortion  produced  by  unequal  load-  SUSPENDED 

_  STRUCTURES 

ine  and  to  distribute  such  loads,  it  was  necessarv  to  stiffen  the  floor  system.  In 
the  old  bridge  this  was  accomplished  by  four  longitudinal  trusses  ;  but  in  this 
case  there  are  only  two  trusses,  each  40  feet  deep,  which  extend  entirely  across 
the  bridge.  The  bottom  chord  is  built  into  the  floor  .system  and  is  of  the  same 
depth.  The  floor  of  the  bridge  is  composed  of  a  series  of  transverse  plate  girders, 
5  feet  in  <lepth,  which  extend  all  the  way  across.  These  are  spaced  20  feet  apart, 
and  are  bridged  longitudinally  by  lines  of  plate-steel  stringers.  There  are  20  of 
these  lines  of  stringers  which  extend  through  the  structure  from  end  to  end. 
The  roadways  are  carried  by  the  overhanging  ends  of  the  floor  beams.  The 
central  portion  of  the  floor  beams  is  supported  at  two  points  from  overhead 
trusses,  which  are  built  in  between  opposite  panel-points  of  the  upper  chords  of 
the  stiffening  trusses.  This  construction  reduces  the  weight  and  admits  of  the 
use  of  much  shallower  floor  beams  than  would  otherwise  be  necessary. 
W  ind  pressure  is  resisted  by  a  horizontal  truss  betw-een  the  top  chords  of  the 
stift'ening  trusses,  and  by  the  manner  in  which  the  longitudinal  stringers  are 
riveted  intercostally  between  the  floor  beams ;  the  tensional  stresses,  due  to  a 
wind  blowing  across  the  bridge,  are  resisted  in  the  leeward  half  of  the  floor  by 
the  stringers  and  the  bottom  chord  of  the  stiffening  truss,  and  the  compressive 
stresses  are  similarly  provided  for  by  the  stringers  and  bottom  chord  of  the 
windward  half  of  the  floor  system. 

The  suspended  portion  of  the  structure  occupies  only  that  portion  lying  the  TRUSSED 
between  the  towers,  the  land  part  of  the  cables  carrying  no  load  whatever.  STRUCTURE 
Between  the  anchorages  and  towers  are  parallel-chord  trusses  with  their  cen- 
ters resting  upon  steel  piers.  The  main  trusses  are  not  provided  with  slip- 
joints,  as  are  those  of  the  Brooklyn  Bridge,  but  are  continuous  from  anchorage  to 
anchorage  ;  neither  are  they  rigidly  united  to  the  towers  or  anchorages.  They 
are  furnished  w-ith  roller  bearings  at  the  anchorages  and  with  rocker  bearings  at 
the  main  towers ;  this  construction  permits  of  their  free  expansion  from  the 
center  toward  each  anchorage. 

23 


RAPID  TRANSIT 


The  bridge  was  designed  by  L.  L.  Buck,  whose  work  in  renewing  the  orig- 
inal Rocbling  suspension  bridge  at  Niagara  had  already  attracted  attention. 
COST         The  contract  prices  for  the  bridge  were  as  follows : 


New  York  tower  foundation,   $373,463 

Brooklyn  tower  foundation,   485,082 

Anchorages,   1,570,000 

Towers  and  shore  spans,   1,221,726 

Cables  and  suspenders   1,398,000 

Approaches,   2,411,000 

Main  span  su.spcnded  system   1,123,400 


The  total  estimated  cost  of  the  bridge,  including  land  and   stations,  is 
$20,000,000. 

MANHATTAN  BRIDGE 

SIZE  The  new  Manhattan  Bridge,  the  foundations  and  piers  of  which  have  been 
completed,  will  extend  from  near  the  intersection  of  the  Bowery  and  Canal 
Street  in  New  York,  to  Willoughby  Street,  between  Prince  and  Gold  Streets,  in 
Brooklyn.  It  will  be  the  longest  of  the  bridges  across  the  East  River,  measur- 
ing about  10,000  feet  between  terminals.  The  floor  of  the  bridge  will  be  120 
feet  wide  over  all;  the  center  span  will  be  1,470  feet  from  center  to  center  of 
the  towers,  and  each  land  span  will  be  725  feet  in  length.  The  two  steel  towers 
will  be  400  feet  above  high  water. 

The  proposition  to  use  steel  eye-bars  for  this  bridge  was  rejected  by  the 
Commissioner  of  Bridges  in  1904,  and  it  was  decided  to  return  to  the  wire  cable 
type.  The  arrangement  of  spans,  capacity  and  loadings  proposed  for  the  eye- 
bar  bridge  and  recommended  by  the  commission  of  engineers  appointed  during 
the  preceding  year  was,  however,  retained  in  the  new  wire  cable  design.  The 
specifications  for  the  cables  and  suspenders  called  for  an  ultimate  strength  of 
not  less  than  215,000  pounds  per  square  inch  before  galvanizing,  and  an  elonga- 
tion of  not  less  than  2  per  cent,  in  12  inches  of  observed  length. 
TOWERS  T'^^  principal  novelty  in  the  design  is  found  in  the  towers.  Each  is  com- 
posed of  four  columns  standing  in  a  transverse  plane,  the  columns  being  in 
the  same  vertical  planes  as  the  chain  cables.  A  side  view  of  the  columns  shows 
that,  from  their  greatest  width  of  22  feet  at  the  platform,  they  taper  to  14  feet 


24 


BLACKIV ELL'S  ISLAND  BRIDGE 


where  they  are  supported  upon  a  steel  pin  2  feet  in  diameter,  wliich  rests  upon  a 
cast-steel  footing.  This  construction  distributes  the  load  evenly  over  the 
masonry  pier,  in  theory  the  towers  arc  free  to  rock  upon  these  pin  bearings, 
but  a  movement  of  a  few  inches  at  their  tups,  caused  by  live  load  or  tem- 
perature changes,  would  be  taken  care  of  by  the  elasticity  of  the  towers  them- 
selves. 

The  anchorages  will  be  formed  with  arches  for  street  traffic,  and  will  be 
provided  with  stairways  and  elevators,  so  that  access  can  be  had  to  the  road- 
way from  these  points.  The  large  interior  space  will  be  utilized  as  an  'assem- 
bling hall. 

The  estimated  cost  of  the  tower  and  anchorage  piers  is  about  $3,000,000.  COST 
and  of  the  superstructure  $10,000,000.     These  figures   do  not  include  land 
damages,  or  stations.    The  bridge  was  designed  by  Gustave  Lindenthal,  work 
ing  in  connection  with  H.  Hornbostel  as  consulting  architect. 

BLACKWELL'S  ISLAND  BRIDGE. 

In  1884  a  franchise  was  granted  for  the  bridging  of  the  East  River  at  Black-  design 
well's  Island,  but  no  steps  toward  actual  construction  were  taken  until  1898, 
when  the  Commissioner  of  Bridges  prepared  plans.  These  provided  for  a  bridge 
having  its  western  terminus  on  the  block  bounded  by  Fifty-ninth  and  Sixtieth 
streets  and  Avenues  A  and  B,  and  its  eastern  terminus  in  Long  Island  City. 
Work  was  commenced  in  1901,  and  was  carried  forward  so  slowly  that  in  1902 
only  about  $42,000  had  been  expended.  The  plans  were  then  revised,  the  changes 
affecting  the  superstructure  chiefly,  although  provision  was  made  for  elevators  to 
the  roadway  from  the  island.  These  called  for  two  cantilever  bridges  having  the 
following  spans :  A  shore  span  on  the  Manhattan  side,  469^  feet  in  length ;  a 
river  span  of  1,182  feet;  a  central  span  across  the  island  of  630  feet;  a  second 
river  span  of  984,  and  a  shore  span  of  459  feet  on  Long  Island.  The  length  of 
the  bridge,  including  approaches,  will  be  7,636  feet. 

The  towers  will  rest  upon  masonry  piers  which  will  extend  up  to  the  road-  jOWERS 
way.  Each  tower  will  consist  of  two  steel  legs  of  box  section,  spaced  93  feet 
from  center  to  center  at  the  base  and  60  feet  at  the  top,  transverselv  of  the 
bridge.  The  height  between  the  chords  at  the  towers  wHl  be  185  feet.  The 
superstructure  will  be  made  up  of  two  lines  of  trusses  placed  60  feet  from  cen- 
ter to  center.    The  top  chord,  being  the  tension  member,  will  consist  of  eve- 


25 


RAPID  TRANSIT 


Lars  of  nickel  slccl  having  a  tensile  strength  of  90,000  pounds  per  square  incli 
and  an  elongation  of  18  per  cent,  in  8  inches.  The  bottom  chord  will  be  of 
standard  box  ct)nstruction.  The  roadway  will  be  carried  on  transverse  floor 
beams  which  will  extend  beyond  the  trusses  a  sufificient  distance  to  provide  a  line 
of  trolley  cars  at  each  side.  The  central  portion  of  the  bridge  will  be  two- 
decked,  the  upper  floor  having  two  elevated  railway  tracks  and  two  footwalks, 
each  1 1  feet  wide.  Beneath  this  will  be  two  more  trolley  tracks,  between  which 
will  be  a  roadway  with  a  clear  width  of  36  feet. 

The  estimated  cost  of  the  bridge,  including  land  damages,  is  $12,548,500 
It  is  expected  10  be  finished  in  njof). 

The  three  bridges  last  described  will  open  sections  of  l-Jrooklyn  that  cannot 
be  conveniently  reached  by  the  Brooklyn  Bridge.  They  will  connect  with  the 
elevated  system  of  that  Borough,  and  thereby  serve  the  territory  to  the  north- 
east of  that  covered  by  the  old  bridge.  In  addition  they  will  do  much  toward 
relieving  the  crowded  condition  of  the  old  bridge,  since  the  termini  of  two  of 
them  in  New  York  are  in  the  districts  that  supply  most  of  the  traffic  for  that 
bridge. 


KIOSK— N.V.  SUBWAY 


26 


CHAPTER  V 


TUNNELS 


HUDSON  RIVER  TUNNEL. 

Greater  problems  than  those  involved  in  the  making  of  an  easy  way  across  THE  NORTH 

RIVER 

from  Manhattan  Island  to  Brooklyn  were  involved  in  the  proposition  to  provide  p^oBLEM 
transit  facilities  to  tlic  section  of  New  Jersey  opposite  New  York  City.  The 
Hudson  is  a  full  mile  wide.  Up  and  down  the  river  vessels  of  all  sorts  are 
constantly  plying.  They  must  have  an  unobstructed  passage,  not  only  at  - the 
center  of  the  stream,  but  at  all  points  between  the  banks.  From  time  to  time 
proposals  were  advanced  to  build  a  bridge  over  the  river.  To  this  moment  no 
individual  or  interest  has  made  progress  in  that  direction.  P'erryboats  arc  still 
carrying  passengers  and  teams  over  it.  Freight  is  transported  largely  in  cars 
placed  on  floats  and  towed  by  steam  vessels.  Some  barges,  large  enough  to  take 
on  board  passenger  coaches,  are  used  to  facilitate  transit  with  New  England 
connections. 

In  1871  an  individual  who  was  neither  a  citizen  of  New  York  nor  con-  d.  C.  HASKIN 
nected  with  the  business  of  New  York ;  who  was  not  even  an  engineer,  although 
he  had  been  concerned  in  railroad  construction,  conceived  the  idea  of  making  a 
tunnel  under  the  river.  He  had  come  from  the  Pacific  coast  via  Omaha,  and 
had  seen  there  work  going  on  building  piers  for  a  great  railroad  bridge  over 
the  Missouri.  This  w'as  done  by  setting  up  iron  cylinders  at  points  suitable  for 
piers.  In  order  to  sink  these  to  bedrock  they  were  so  made  that  com- 
pressed air  could  be  pumped  into  them,  and  workmen  and  materials  could  be 
taken  into  them  through  so-called  air  locks  at  the  top.  The  water  having  been 
driven  out  at  the  bottom  by  air  pressure,  the  men  were  able  to  remove  earth, 
and  drop  the  cylinders  by  degrees  until  rock  was  reached.  The  structure  was 
then  filled  with  concrete  masonry,  and  sure  foundations  provided  for  the  super- 
structure. 

Seeing  this  work,  this  man  of  engineering  turn  and  enterprise,  of  long  fore- 
sight and  undaunted  courage,  conceived  the  idea  that  the  iron  cylinders,  fitted 


27 


RAPID  TRANSIT 


PNEUMATIC  with  air  locks,  could  be  olaccd  horizontally,  starting  out  below  water-level  from  a 

TUNNELING    ,    ,  •  ,    ,  r       ,      '  ,        ,  ,         ,  ,  ,  ■  •     r  i 

shait  provided  tor  the  purpose ;  that  the  earth  could  be  excavated  m  front,  the 

compressed  air  providing  a  safe  place  for  the  workmen  ;  that  successive  rings  of 
iron  could  be  added  to  the  cylinder,  and  so  a  tunnel  constructed  from  shore  to 
shore  of  any  river  or  arm  of  the  sea.  Having  reached  his  conception  he  cast 
about  for  a  place  of  importance  to  begin  work,  and  very  naturally  decided  that 
the  best  location  would  be  under  the  Hudson  at  New  York.  He  did  not  live  to 
sec  his  great  project  completed;  Init  it  may  be  doubted  whether  the  actual  fact 
would  have  added  to  the  certitude  of  his  mind.  He  was  one  of  those  men 
whose  faith  in  their  ideas,  wild  though  they  may  seem  to  others,  is  absolute. 

So  while  the  work  of  sinking  the  piers  for  the  Brooklyn  bridge  was  under 
way,  and  no  step  had  yet  been  taken  to  string  cables  across  the  East  River,  he 
set  to  work  to  solve  the  problem  of  transit  to  Xew  Jersey  on  a  different  and 
more  venturesome  line,  declaring  to  his  friends  that  tunnels,  not  bridges,  were 
practical,  and  that  in  the  long  run  the  world  would  so  decide.  And  so  con- 
vinced was  he  of  the  merit  of  his  proposed  enterprise  that  he  would  not  seek 
state  or  municipal  aid,  or  the  aid  of  the  great  railroads  centering  in  Jersey  City, 
but  would  do  it  all  himself,  out  of  his  own  means  and  tlie  means  of  friends  who 
might  have  faith  in  the  enormous  values  he  proposed  to  create.  It  is  almost 
unnecessary  to  say  that  he  died  in  pruDverty.  He  was  blind  in  his  latter  days,  yet 
his  courage  never  failed.  To  the  end  he  believed  that  he  had  pointed  the  way, 
shown  others  how'  a  great  work  should  be  done,  and  that  he  would  be  called  a 
great  benefactor  long  after  his  critics  were  forgotten. 
NATURAL  The  originality  of  Mr.  Haskin's  plan  was  not  more  conspicuous  than  its 
CONDITIONS  gjjj^,.^,-,-,^  simplicity.  The  silt  forming  the  bed  of  the  Hudson  is  a  deposit  due  to 
the  washing  away  of  the  rocks  of  the  upper  river.  When  dry  it  is  an  impalpable 
powder,  and  when  saturated  with  water  it  is  as  difticult  to  control  as  any  water- 
bearing sand.  But  between  these  two  conditions,  that  of  extreme  dryness  and 
w-etness,  is  a  stage  in  wdiich  the  silt  assumes  almost  the  consistency  and  chai- 
acteristics  of  clay.  When  carrying  a  certain  of  degree  of  moisture,  it  will 
stand  up  like  clay,  and  may  be  handled  in  the  same  way.  This  fact  was  taken 
advantage  of,  and  because  of  it  the  first  part  of  the  work  was  done  successfully. 
The  scheme  was  to  maintain  within  the  heading  an  air  pressure  as  nearly  equal  as 
possible  to  the  hydrostatic  head.  In  this  way  it  was  thought  that  the  silt,  having 
just  the  right  amount  of  moisture,  would  form  a  barrier  or  partition  that  would 
efifcctually  prevent  the  entrance  of  \\ater  and  permit  the  heading  to  be  worked. 


28 


HUDSON  lUVBR  TUNNEL 


The  result  proved  the  soundness  of  this  reasoning.  The  lieading  was  advaneed 
without  support  of  any  description  and  the  tunnel  advanced  without  resort  to 
timbering. 

In  November,  1874,  work  was  begun  by  sinking  a  shaft  on  the  New  Jersey  WORK 
side  83  feet  back  from  the  bulkhead  wall.  This  shaft  Avas  circular  in  plan,  30  STARTED 
feet  inside  and  38  feet  outside  diameter,  the  brickwork  being  4  feet  thick  at  the 
bottom  and  2i  at  the  top.  The  bottom  of  the  shaft  was  sunk  to  a  depth  of  54 
feet  below  mean  high  water.  Upon  each  of  the  cast  and  west  sides  was  built  a 
false  piece,  26  feet  wide  by  24  ftel  high,  having  an  elliptical  form,  and  which 
was  finally  to  be  removed  to  permit  the  passage  of  the  tunnel.  In  the  east  side 
of  the  shaft,  above  the  false  piece,  was  an  opening  to  receive  an  air-lock.  The 
lock  was  6  feet  in  diameter  by  15  feet  in  length,  and  was  provided  with  a  door 
in  each  end  in  the  usual  manner.  The  so-called  temporary  entrance  was  theii 
begun.  This  consisted  of  a  series  of  11  rings,  formed  of  plates  2  feet  wide. 
Each  ring  was  18  inches  larger  than  the  one  preceding  it  and  the  largest  was  20 
feet  in  diameter.  As  the  tops  of  these  rings  were  in  the  same  horizontal  line,  their 
bottoms  formed  steps  leading  up  to  the  lock,  the  chamber  forming  a  cone  having 
its  upper  side  at  right  angles  to  the  diameter.  From  the  base  of  this  cone  two 
tunnels  were  started,  it  having  been  decided  to  build  two  parallel  single-track 
tunnels  instead  of  one  large  one. 

The  north  tunnel  was  lirst  begun.  As  the  largest  ring  of  the  chamber  was  METHOD  OF 
not  large  enough  to  embrace  both  tunnels,  it  was  necessary  to  extend  the  sides  OPERATING 
and  inverts  beyond  the  ring.  Plate  by  plate  an  iron  ring  or  shell  was  built,  of  a 
bize  equal  to  the  exterior  of  the  north  tunnel,  and  brickwork  was  laid  in  this  2 
feet  thick.  The  regular  work  of  tunnel  building  was  then  begun.  Silt  wa3 
removed  until  the  top  center  plate  of  a  new  ring  could  be  put  in  and  bolted  to 
the  one  behind.  Then  a  plate  was  inserted  at  each  side  and  bolted  to  the  cen- 
ter plate  and  to  the  ring  already  in  place.  When  four  rings  of  nlates  hid  been 
put  in  and  braced,  the  heading  was  cleaned  out  and  the  masonry  laid,  thus  com- 
pleting a  section  of  10  feet.  The  plates  were  of  :^-inch  boiler  iron  2i  feet 
wide  by  3I  feet  long,  and  were  flanged  with  angle  iron  on  the  four  sides.  The 
heading  was  cut  into  steps,  upon  which  the  men  stood  while  shoveling,  and  was 
entirely  exposed,  no  attempt  being  made  to  sheath  any  part  of  it.  The  air  pres- 
sure was  kept  about  equal  to  the  hydrostatic  head,  and  increased  from  18  pounds 
at  first  to  36  at  a  distance  of  1,800  feet  from  the  shaft.  The  tunnel  was  16  feet 
wide  by  18  feet  high  inside. 


29 


RAPID  TRANSIT 


AIR  Early  in  the  work  it  was  found  that  no  fixed  rule  could  be  adopted  to  govern 
tlic  pressure  of  air,  and  that  a  pressure  that  served  well  one  day  would  not  b':' 
suitable  the  next.  This  was  due  to  two  causes.  The  excavated  chamber,  ready 
for  the  masonry,  was  about  23  feet  in  diameter,  and  the  difference  in  water 
pressure  between  the  top  and  bottom  was,  therefore,  about  11  pounds  per  square 
inch.  This  was  a  disadvantage,  and,  in  com])ination  with  the  constantly  chang- 
ing nature  of  the  material  passed  through,  rendered  it  difficult  to  decide  upon 
the  air  pressure  that  should  be  carried,  lixperience  soon  showed  that  a  little 
less  than  the  hydrostatic  j)ressure  at  the  axis  of  th.c  tunnel  was  the  most  desir- 
able under  ordinary  conditions.  Even  under  these  circumstances  air  would 
escape  at  the  roof  while  water  was  weeping  through  at  the  bottom.  It  was  more 
desirable  to  keep  the  silt  at  the  top  in  perfect  condition  than  at  the  bottom,  for 
the  reason  that  an  excessive  air  pressure  meimt  the  forcing  out  of  the  water  at 
the  crown,  thereby  drying  the  silt  and  causing  it  to  fall  in  lumps  sometimes  of 
considerable  size.  This  was  more  to  be  dreaded  than  the  weeping  in  of  water  at 
the  invert,  since  the  falling  of  a  mass  from  the  roof  might  open  a  pocket  that 
would  permit  the  air  to  rush  out  in  such  volume  as  to  cause  flooding.  Leaks  in 
the  crown  and  top  sides  were  detected  by  passing  a  candle  over  the  surface,  the 
flame  being  blown  into  a  hole  by  the  escaping  air ;  larger  openings  could  be 
detected  by  the  sound  of  the  outrushing  air.  Wet  silt  applied  to  the  spot  in  right 
quantity  remedied  the  tiouble. 
REMOVING  After  the  north  tunnel  had  been  finished  to  a  distance  of  over  a  quarter  of  a 

mile  the  south  one  was  started,  and  after  this  had  been  advanced  some  distance 
the  two  headings  were  closed  with  timber  bulkheads,  and  the  work  of  removing 
the  temporary  entrance  was  started.  This  entrance  had  been  built  through  made 
ground,  mostly  of  cinders,  which  had  been  disturbed  by  the  sinking  of  the  shaft 
and  had  given  trouble  during  the  placing  of  the  air-lock  by  flowing  down  the 
side  of  the  shaft.  The  first  operations  were  directed  toward  the  removal  of  the 
last  or  largest  ring.  The  two  plates  adjoining  the  center  one  were  taken  down 
and  the  silt  dug  out.  so  that  when  the  plates  were  re-inserted  they  were  on  the 
curve  to  be  formed  for  the  new  work,  the  object  being  to  construct  a  bridle,  as  it 
were,  to  cover  both  tunnels  with  one  span  or  arch  and  leave  a  large  chamber. 
This  became  known  as  the  "working"  chamber.  In  this  way  four  rings  were 
removed  and  the  masonry  built,  after  which  the  plates  in  the  roof  of  the  remain- 
ing rings  were  taken  down,  their  place  being  supplied  by  the  hood  forming  the 
crown  of  the  new  work.    This  hood  reached  from  the  completed  work  to  the 


TEMPORARY 
ENTRANCE 


30 


/icnsoM  h'/i  i-R  vr.v.v/:/ 


shaft,  which  it  joined  3  feet  aljove  the  lock,  and  thui  extended  down  cacli  side 
and  against  the  shaft  as  close  as  it  could  be  fitted. 

On  the  morning  of  July  21,  1880,  a  blow-out  occurred  at  this  point,  the  ACCIDENT 
air  escaping  up  along  the  side  of  the  shaft.  The  falling  earth  and  plates  so 
wedged  the  inner  lock  door  that  it  could  not  be  opened  to  allow  the  men  to 
escape  and  20  were  drowned.  At  the  inquest  that  followed,  the  engineers 
employed  upon  the  tunnel  were  vastly  relieved  when  Mr.  Haskin  stated  that  he, 
and  he  alone,  was  responsible  for  the  plans  and  for  their  execution.  The  acci- 
dent itself  injured  the  undertaking  from  a  financial  standpoint. 

After  the  accident  the  tunnel  was  re-opened  by  means  of  a  caisson  that  was 
sunk  within  a  cofferdam,  the  latter  being  employed  to  confine  the  loose  mate- 
rial. The  caisson  was  41^  by  24  feet  10  inches.  After  it  had  reached  the  proper 
level  it  was  united  with  the  tunnels  and  sliaft,  and  the  interior  lined  with  masonry. 
The  work  was  now  the  same  as  before  the  accident,  with  the  exception  that,  the 
temporary  entrance  had  been  replaced  by  a  substantial  chamber  of  brick,  and 
additional  facilities  had  been  made  for  entering  the  work. 

When  building  the  tunnel  proper  it  was  found  that  the  shell  was  at  times  PILOT 
forced  out  of  line  by  the  weight  of  .silt  resting  upon  it,  making  it  difficult  to 
maintain  an  accurate  grade.  The  difficulty  was  overcome  by  the  introduction  of  a 
"pilot."  This  was  a  tube  of  boiler  iron,  6  feet  in  diameter  and  of  a  length  suffi- 
cient to  project  a  few  feet  into  the  undisturbed  silt  of  the  heading  and  also  a 
few  feet  into  the  completed  work.  It  thus  formed  a  rigid  hub,  supported  at  each 
end,  from  which,  as  a  foundation,  braces  radiated  to  support  the  plates.  The 
pilot  was  built  of  flanged  plates,  all  of  the  same  size,  so  that  those  at  the  near 
end  could  be  taken  down  and  carried  forward  as  the  work  advanced. 

In  view  of  the  fact  that  other  tunnels  are  building  or  to  be  built  across  the  PROPERTIES 
Hudson,  it  may  not  be  amiss  to  dwell  briefly  upon  some  of  the  peculiar  char- 
acteristics of  the  silt  which  forms  the  bed  of  the  river.  When  it  carries  the 
proper  degree  of  moisture  it  forms  a  compact,  dense,  tenacious  mass,  having  such 
cohesion  that  it  retains  a  given  shape  for  an  extended  period  of  time.  In  this  state 
it  may  be  handled  much  as  ordinary  putty.  It  is  not  dirty,  in  the  usual  sense  of 
that  word  ;  a  little  water  quickly  relieves  the  hands  of  its  presence,  and  the  flesh 
has  a  soft,  almost  oily,  feeling  afterward.  Its  most  important  feature  in  rela- 
tion to  tunneling  operations,  and  one  directly  the  outcome  of  its  cohesiveness 
when  of  the  proper  degree  of  saturation,  is  that  both  air  and  water  pass  through  it 
very  slowly.    \\'hen  well  mixed  with  a  sufficient  volume  of  water,  it  flows  as  freelv 


31 


RAPID  TRANSIT 


as  quicksand  and  is  much  more  troublesome  to  control.  It  was  found  impos- 
sible to  force  the  hand,  either  clenched  or  open,  to  any  considerable  depth  into 
the  exposed  silt  at  the  heading.  The  steps  cut  in  the  face  of  the  heading  retained 
their  sharp  outlines  quite  long  enough  to  permit  the  placing  of  plates  in  the 
upper  portion  of  a  ring  and  excavating  a  new  series  of  steps.  It  is  impossible 
for  an  air  pocket  to  remain  in  moist  silt,  because  the  gradually  closing  silt  is 
bound  to  force  the  air  out.  These  properties  of  silt  make  it  a  most  reliable  mate- 
rial through  which  to  build  a  tunnel,  since,  once  constructed,  it  may  be  safely 
assumed  that  the  structure  will  remain  in  place  indefinitely.  Piles  may  be 
driven  to  almost  any  depth  in  silt,  provided  the  blows  are  rapidly  delivered  and 
that  the  operation  is  continuous ;  and  again  if  a  pile  be  sunk  too  far  it  may  be 
drawn  up  to  the  desired  level,  where  it  will  remain  firmly  planted  after  the  silt 
has  had  time  to  settle  around  it.  Constant  and  uniform  pressure  has  little  nr  no 
effect  upon  this  material,  but  a  shock  or  jar  disturbs  it  and  partially  or  wholly 
destroys  its  grip.  It  was  for  this  reason  principally  that  the  engineers  of  the 
Pennsylvania  Tunnels  decided  to  anchor  the  tubes  by  means  of  screw  piles,  as 
they  feared  the  disturbing  effects  of  heavy  trains. 

STARTING  The  shaft  method  of  reaching  grade,  as  adopted  at  the  western  end,  had 
NEV^  YORK 

proved  costly  and  troublesome,  and  therefore  the  chief  engineer  of  the  work  al 
this  time,  S.  H.  Finch,  decided  to  start  the  tunnels  at  the  New  York  end  by 
means  of  a  timber  caisson,  which  measured  48  by  29J  feet  in  plan.  When  the 
caisson  had  been  sunk  to  a  depth  of  56  feet  below  mean  high  water  it  was  almost 
wholly  embedded  in  sand.  Holes  were  bored  through  the  west  side  of  the  caisson 
on  the  line  of  the  outside  of  the  tunnels.  After  the  circle  of  holes  had  been  nearly 
finished  the  upper  part  was  cut  out  and  a  roof  plate  put  in  and  held  by  braces. 
Others  were  inserted  at  the  sides  and  in  advance  of  this,  until,  at  a  distance  of 
12  feet  from  the  caisson,  a  bulkhead  of  iron  plates  was  started  at  the  top  and 
built  down.  In  building  the  next  section  the  same  method  was  pursued,  but  the 
plates  of  the  first  bulkhead  were  always  kept  at  a  higher  level  than  the  bottom  of 
those  in  advance,  in  order  to  prevent  tlie  entrance  of  water.  As  soon  as  it  had 
been  lined  with  iron  the  section  was  cleaned  out  and  the  brickwork  laid.  An 
idea  of  how  this  job  was  viewed  by  the  technical  press  may  be  formed  by  the 
following  extract,  which  was  published  after  the  tunnels  had  been  carried  for- 
ward some  distance : 

TUNNELING         "The  fact  that  the  caisson  was  embedded  in  sand  led  to  the  belief,  among 
THROUGH 

SAND  "^^"y  engineers  of  high  standing,  that  an  outlet  could  not  be  obtained  and  the 


32 


HUDSOX  Kll  l.R  TUNNEL 


tunnel  stJirtcd  by  the  system  of  working  by  compressed  air.  It  has  Ijccome  THE 
unsafe  to  prononnee  an  unfavorable  opinion  in  regard  to  any  particular  piece  of  DIFFICULTIES 
work  coniiecled  with  the  luiuiel.  hi  more  than  one  instance  obstacles  which 
seemed  to  present  an  insurmounlabli'  barrier  to  all  future  progress  have  been 
met  and  coiKjuered,  and  the  work  has  gone  forward.  New  devices  and  plans 
have  kept  pace  with  new  difficulties.  At  a  first  glance  the  sand  above  mentioned 
seemed  to  contain  all  the  characteristics  requisite  for  a  first-class  insurmount- 
able obstacle.  I'pon  the  least  reduction  of  the  air-pressure  this  material  would 
follow  the  water  into  the  cais.son  ;  the  smallest  opening  afforded  a  ready  pas- 
sage. The  water  and  sand  could  be  kept  quiet  as  far  down  as  the  air-pressure 
was  carried,  and  no  farther;  and  if  a  trench  were  dug  the  upward  pressure, 
due  to  the  dififercnce  between  the  air-pressure  and  head  of  water,  or  depth  of 
excavation,  would  fill  the  trench  with  sand  and  water  faster  than  it  could  be 
taken  out,  and  the  adjacent  material  would  be  in  no  better  condition  than 
at  first." 

This  was  the  first  and  has  remained  the  only  instance  of  the  building  of  a 
sub-aqueous  tunnel  llirough  sand  and  gravel  without  the  aid  of  a  shield.  It  is 
safe  to  predict  that  it  will  never  again  be  attempted,  but  as  a  specimen  of  what 
can  be  acccmijlisiied  under  the  most  discouraging  surroundings  it  deserves 
record. 

In  1888  the  firm  of  S.  Pearson  &  Son,  of  England,  assumed  the  contract,  with  ENGLISH 

Sir  John  Fowler  and  Sir  Benjamin  Baker,  who  had  just  finished  the  Forth  Bridge,  CONTRAC- 
TORS 

the  greatest  cantilever  ever  erected,  as  consulting  engineers.  The  plans  were 
immediately  changed  and  the  shield  method  substituted.  The  next  most  impor- 
tant change  made  was  the  use  of  heavy  cast-iron  plates  in  place  of  masonry. 
The  light  boiler  plates  used  in  the  early  work  were  never  considered  as  being  an 
integral  and  permanent  part  of  the  cylinder  ;  they  only  served  to  keep  the  silt 
out  until  the  masonry  had  been  laid,  after  which  their  existence  was  a  matter  of 
no  moment.  Lack  of  funds  forced  the  stoppage  of  work,  and,  although  spas- 
modic attempts  were  made  from  time  to  time  to  resume  operations,  nothing  of  a 
serious  nature  was  done  until  the  early  part  of  1902. 

The  New  York  &  New  Jersey  Railroad  Company  acquired  the  franchise  and  NEW 

property  of  the  old  companv  in  that  vear.    The  north  tunnel  has  been  opened  COMPANY 

IN  CONTROL 

from  shore  to  shore  and  operations  have  been  begun  on  the  approaches.  The 
plates  in  the  south  tunnel,  which  had  been  reduced  in  diameter  to  15  feet  3  inches, 
were  6\  feet  long.  2  feet  wide,  i  7-16  inches  thick,  8  inches  deep  through  the 


33 


RAPID  TRANSIT 


CHANGE  \vc'l)s.  and  liad  tlangcs  li  inches  tliick.  'I'lic  sides  of  each  plate  were  accurately 
OF  PLAN  faj.^>(i_  ii^^.  Q,-,^>j;  ]x>i,-,o-  in  a  plane  at  ris^hl  angles  with  the  axis  of  the  tunnel  and 
the  short  ones  on  a  radius,  so  that  thev  fitted  together  with  great  nicely.  With 
these  ])lates  it  was  ini])ossihle  to  distort  the  circular  section  of  the  tunnel,  and  with 
the  shield  it  was  easy  to  follow  the  exact  grade  and  alignment.  The  change  in 
diameter  was  decided  upon  because  the  large  size  is  not  necessary  for  trolley 
service.  The  original  plan  was  to  usi-  the  tunnel  for  regular  railway  service.  The 
same  plan  would  have  been  ado])lcd  with  the  UDrth  tunnel  hut  for  the  fact  that  the 
heading,  when  the  ])resent  managi  iuent  assumed  control,  was  at  the  lowest  point 
below  the  surface  of  the  river,  and  had  hut  a  few  feet  of  silt  overhead.  Under 
these  circumstances  it  was  not  thought  expedient  to  make  the  change.  The 
general  method  of  working  does  not  differ  from  that  usually  followed,  and 
therefore  needs  no  special  descri]jtion. 

The  charter  of  the  company  made  no  provision  for  connecting  tunnels  or 
roadways  within  the  city.    .Api)lication  was  made  to  the  Rapid  Transit  Commis- 
sion for  authority  to  cross  the  city  to  Fourth  avenue,  and  also  by  Sixth  avenue  to 
Thirt\-third  street,    lliese  a])i)lications  were  granted. 
FRANCHISE         Beginning  when  these  extensions  shall  have  been  finished,  and  ending  in 

BY  RAPID  twentv-five  vears  from  the  completion  of  the  railroad  under  the  Hudson,  the  com- 
TRANSIT  ■  ' 

COMMISSION  P^i"y  to  pay  50  cents  per  linear  foot  of  single  track  and  of  station  platform  for 
llie  first  10  years,  and  $i  per  aniuim  per  linear  foot  during  the  next  15  years.  A 
further  animal  sum  is  to  be  paid  of  3  per  cent,  of  the  gross  receipts  for  the  first  10 
}  ears  and  5  per  cent,  afterward.  The  gross  receipts  are  estimated  by  agreement  at 
$300,000  a  year  for  the  first  10  years.  After  that  the  gross  receipts  are  to  be  de- 
termined upon  the  basis  of  the  information  then  available  as  to  actual  traffic  re- 
turns, and  fixed  by  agreement  or  bv  arbitration. 
RENTALS  The  rental  payable  to  the  city,  in  accordance  with  the  statute,  is  to  be  read- 
justed at  the  end  of  the  period  of  25  years  above  mentioned,  and  thereafter  at  inter- 
vals of  25  years.  If  the  city  and  the  company  shall  not  agree  upon  the  rates  at  the 
tune  of  such  readjustment,  they  are  to  be  determined  by  the  Supreme  Court  of 
this  State. 

The  tuiuiel  entrances  are  to  be  constructed  entirely  through  private  property, 
unless  the  Board  shall  approve  of  an  exit  or  exits  situated  within  the  streets ;  this 
will  do  away  with  the  use  of  kiosks  in  the  streets.  An  important  clause  in  the 
franchise  is  the  following : 

"As  soon  as  the  railroad  is  completed,  the  Tunnel  Company  is  to  file  with  the 


34 


HUDSON  &  MANHATTAN  TUNNlil. 


Board  a  statement  of  the  cost  of  construction  of  tlic  portions  which  tlie  city  has  the  COST 
right  to  acquire;  and  if  those  statemcMits  are  (hsapproved  by  the  Board,  the  whole 
subject  of  cost  is  to  l)e  submitted  to  arbitration  forthwith.     fn  this  manner  the 
actual  cost  of  construction  will  be  determined  at  the  time,  instead  of  hv'mp^  left  to 
be  determined  under  great  difficulties  many  years  afterwards." 

The  franchise  contains  provisions  regarding  the  disposition  of  gas,  water 
pipes,  sewers  and  the  like.  The  Tunnel  Company  agrees  not  to  interfere  with  the 
construction  of  any  rapid  transit  or  street  railroad  over,  along  or  under  any  por- 
tion of  the  streets  occupied  by  it,  provided  they  do  not  actually  interfere  with  its 
structure. 

In  January  of  the  present  year  the  Hudson  Company  was  incorporated,  with  OPERATING 

COMPANY 

a  capital  of  $21,000,000,  to  take  over  and  eventually  operate  the  tunnels  now  under  pQj^j^g-j-, 

construction  under  the  Hudson.    These  comprise  the  tunnel  just  described,  and 

one  to  be  built  from  Church  and  Cortlandt  Streets  in  New  York  to  Exchange  Place 

in  Jersey  City,  and  by  tunnel  under  Jersey  City  and  Hoboken,  with  the  depots  of 

the  Delaware,  Lackawanna  &  Western,  Erie,  Pennsylvania  and  Jersey  Central 

Railroads. 

HUDSON  &  MANHATTAN  RAILROAD  TUNNEL. 

This  is  the  line  to  be  built  from  Cortlandt  street,  New  York,  to  Jersey  City, 
referred  to  above.  The  franchise  granted  by  the  Rapid  Transit  Commission  pro- 
vides for  the  construction  of  two  tracks  under  Cortlandt  street,  to  Church,  to  Ful- 
ton and  thence  to  the  State  boundary  line  in  the  Hudson.  Provision  is  also  made 
for  a  subway  for  foot  passengers  from  Church  street  station  under  Dey  street  and 
Broadway  to  John  street  to  connect  with  the  present  svibway.  The  payments  by 
the  company  to  the  city  for  the  first  25  years  are  as  follows : 

"A  charge  of  $100  per  annum  for  the  right  to  enter  the  citv,  including  the  TERMS  OF 
u      r  ^  ^    4.U      ■      ^■  '  FRANCHISE 

approaches  from  the  west  to  the  pier  line. 

"A  charge  for  the  right  within  the  pier  line,  and  for  the  underground  portions 
of  streets,  and  for  the  passenger  subway  under  Dey  street  and  Broadway,  at  the 
rate  of  50  cents  per  linear  foot  of  single  track  or  subway  per  annum  for  the  first 
10  years,  and  $1  per  annum  per  linear  foot  during  the  next  15  years. 

"A  charge  for  the  underground  portions  of  Cortlandt,  Dey  and  Fulton  streets 
near  the  terminal  station,  and  where  the  company's  tunnel  construction  comes 
within  16  feet  8  inches  of  the  surface,  at  the  rate  of  40  cents  per  superficial  square 


35 


RAPID  TRANSIT 


foot  per  annum  for  the  first  lo  years,  and  80  cents  per  annum  per  superficial 
square  foot  for  the  next  15  years. 

"A  further  ainiual  sum  for  tunnel  rights  under  the  street  of  3  per  cent,  of  the 
gross  receipts  of  the  New  York  portion  of  the  railroad  for  10  years,  and  5  per  cent, 
for  the  next  1 5  years.  Such  gross  receipts  arc  fixed  for  the  first  25  years  at  $300,- 
000  per  annum,  whether  in  fact  such  gross  receipts  shall  he  more  or  less." 

The  franchise  is  granted  in  perpetuity.  In  regard  to  this  the  Committee  of 
the  Board  on  Contracts  said: 

READJUST-         "The  tunnel  authorized  by  this  franchise,  at  the  west,  ends  at  the  boundary 
MENT 

line  between  the  States  of  New  York  and  New  Jersey ;  and  from  that  line  west  the 
tunnel  must  be  continued  under  the  authority  of  the  State  of  New  Jersey.  It  is 
obvious  that  the  New  York  grant  is  susceptible  of  use  only  in  connection  with  the 
New  Jersey  part  of  the  tunnel  under  the  Hudson  River.  If  the  New  York  grant 
were  limited,  then  at  the  end  of  the  limited  term  the  grant  would  be  of  no  use  or 
advantage  to  the  city.  A  readjustment  of  rental  charges  at  25  year  intervals  will, 
in  cases  like  this,  give  the  city  all  the  practical  advantages  of  a  limitation  of  the 
life  of  the  grant." 

The  tunnels  along  the  water  front  of  Jersey  City  connecting  the  railroad 
depots  will  be  two-track,  as  will  also  be  the  tunnels  in  New  York,  while  the  river 
will  be  crossed  in  each  case  by  twin  tunnels.  The  Hudson  Companies  are  work- 
ing in  harmony  with  the  railroads  and  with  the  Public  Service  Corporation  of  New 
Jersey,  which  controls  the  surface  transportation  facilities  of  Jersey  City,  Newark 
and  other  districts. 


PENNSYLVANIA  RAILROAD  TUNNELS. 

Of  more  importance  than  the  original  enterprise  of  Mr.  Haskin,  extended 
as  it  has  been  by  the  company  that  now  holds  the  franchise,  is  the  great  work 
being  pressed  forward  by  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  in  order  to  provide  ter- 
minals in  the  heart  of  New  York  City,  and  make  connections  with  other  systems. 
ROUTE  OF         Its  new  roadway,  devised  for  this  purpose,  will  leave  the  main  line  a  short 
TUNNEL  j,^g|.  q£  Xewark,  N.  J.,  and  pass  across  the  Hackensack  Meadows  to 

the  west  face  of  Bergen  Hill.  From  this  point  the  road  will  be  entirely  in  tun- 
nel under  Bergen  Hill,  the  North  River,  the  Island  of  Manhattan,  and  the  East 
River,  reaching  the  surface  about  a  mile  east  of  the  latter  in  Long  Island  City. 


36 


PENA'syLr.iM.i  h'.iii.uo.in  n  xnhi.s 


The  road  will  be  double-tracked  across  the  Meadows,  and  will  i)ass  under  the 
North  River  in  two  parallel,  single-track  tunnels.  These  will  be  spaced  37  feet 
between  centers,  and  at  intervals  of  300  feet  will  be  conneclt-d  by  passageways 
that  will  ordinarily  be  closed  by  doors  to  prevent  the  air  passing  from  one  tun- 
nel to  the  other.  Under  Manhattan  Island  the  tubular  construction  will  cease, 
and  the  two  tracks  will  diverge  into  two  tunnels,  with  three  tracks  each — the 
main  line  and  two  sidings.  These  large  tunnels  will  extend  for  about  1,000 
feet,  when  they  will  unite  into  a  four-track,  single-arch  tunnel,  extending  for  a 
distance  of  605  feet  to  the  western  end  of  a  station  or  dejiot.  The  station  will 
be  260  feet  wide  from  Tenth  to  Ninth  avenues,  on  the  line  of  Thirty-second  and 
Thirty-third  streets ;  then  about  560  feet  wide  to  Seventh  avenue.  Its  area 
will  be  about  27  acres,  and  it  will  contain  about  16  miles  of  track.  The  lower 
level  of  the  station  will  be  devoted  to  the  tracks ;  an  intermediate  level  will 
contain  waiting  and  baggage  rooms,  ticket  offices,  etc. 

The  eastern  division,  beginning  at  Seventh  avenue,  will  comprise  two  lines  EASTERN 
of  triple-track  arched  tunnels,  one  underneath  Thirty-second  and  the  other  "-"^'^lON 
underneath  Thirty-third  street.    These  will  be  continueil  for  1,600  feet,  when 
each  set  of  three  tracks  will  unite  into  a  double-track  arched  tunnel  for  a  dis- 
tance of  2,400  feet.    The  East  River  will  be  crossed  by  four  single-track  tubes, 
coming  to  the  surface  at  Thompson  avenue,  Long  Island  City.    At  this  point 
there  will  be  a  terminal  yard,  where  cars  will  be  stored,  and  where  the  motive 
power  will  be  changed  to  electricity  or  steam,  according  to  the  direction  in 
which  the  train  is  traveling.    Electric  pow'er  only  will  be  used  in  the  tunnels. 
Connection  will  be  made  from  this  yard,  by  bridge  and  railroad,  with  the  Long  CONNEC- 
Island  system  and,  via  Hell  Gate,  with  the  New  York,  New  Haven  &  Hartford  ''^"-'^^ 
Railroad  on  the  north  shore  of  Long  Island  Sound.    A  large  freight  terminal  is 
being  built  at  Greenville,  N.  J.,  from  which  cars  will  be  transferred  to  Bay 
Ridge,  L.  I.,  and  will  then  be  taken  to  the  Hell  Gate  Bridge  by  means  of  a  con- 
necting railroad.    The  total  length  of  railway  to  be  constructed  in  New  York  is 
4.2  miles ;  and  the  total  length  of  main  track,  exclusive  of  side  tracks  or  track  in 
the  station,  will  be  22.6  miles.    The  distance  from  the  surface  of  the  ground  at 
Twelfth  avenue  to  the  base  of  the  rail  w'ill  be  65  feet,  and  at  Fifth  avenue  75 
feet. 

The  franchise  provides  also  for  a  station  at  Fourth  avenue  and  Thirty-third  FOURTH 

street,  but  this  does  "not  include  anv  right  to  connect  at  this  point  the  tracks  of 

^  STATION 

the  railway  of  the  tunnel  company  with  the  tracks  of  any  other  railroad,  for 


37 


RAI'lD  TRANSIT 


the  continuous  operation  of  trains  over  such  tracks  of  the  tunnel  company  and  of 

any  other  railroad." 

The  undertaking  is  divided  into  two  parts,  and  is  being  carried  forward  by 

two  distinct  companies.    That  portion  lying  in  New  Jersey,  west  of  the  State 

boundary  line,  which  is  about  midway  of  the  North  River,  is  being  built  by  the 

Pennsylvania,  New  Jersey  &  New  York  Railroad,  while  that  portion  east  of  the 

boundary  and  lying  in  New  York  is  being  constructed  by  the  Pennsylvania,  New 

York  &  Long  Island  Railroad.    The  eastern  section  is  under  the  direction  of 

Alfred  Noble  and  the  western  under  Charles  M.  Jacobs,  chief  engineers. 

CAST-IRON  'Y\■^Q  sub-aqueous  portions  of  the  work  are  being  built  by  means  of  shields 
SCREW  PILES  . 

in  the  usual  manner.  All  of  the  tunnels  under  the  two  rivers  will  be  lined  with 
cast-iron  plates.  In  the  North  River  tunnels  a  novel  engineering  feature  has 
been  introduced.  The  silt  forming  the  bed  is  sufficiently  firm  to  ])rescrve  the 
tunnel  in  perfect  alignment,  but  it  was  thought  that  if  the  heavy  motors  are 
allowed  to  bear  directly  upon  the  shell  their  weight,  and  particularly  the  shock 
due  to  movement,  may  produce  settlements,  or  set  up  stresses,  that  would  result 
in  fracture  and  consequent  leakage.  This  difificulty  will  be  overcome  l)y  the 
introduction  of  cast-iron  piles  placed  beneath  the  center  of  the  inverts,  at  every 
15  feet,  and  extended,  if  necessary,  to  a  depth  of  150  feet.  The  tops  of  the 
piles  are  to  be  filled  with  concrete  to  a  depth  of  15  feet.  The  load  will  be  dis- 
tributed by  a  system  of  stringers  capping  the  piles  and  carrying  the  rails. 
Should  there  be  any  movement  of  the  piles,  under  the  loads  carried,  it  will  not 
;iffcct  the  tubes,  wliich  will  serve  their  proper  purpose  as  enveloping  casings. 
After  a  certain  length  oi  shell  has  been  completed  it  will  be  btilkheaded,  i)laced 
under  air  pressure,  and  the  piles  screwed  down  from  the  interior.  The 
piles  are  27  inches  in  outside  diameter,  the  screws  being  cast  upon  a  shell 
inches  in  thickness,  and  are  made  in  sections  7  feet  long.  The  screw,  formed 
upon  the  lowest  section,  is  4  feet  8  inches  in  diameter.  After  one  section  has 
been  screwed  down  another  will  be  bolted  to  it,  the  process  continuing  until 
firm  material  has  been  reached.  Grout  under  heavy  pressure  will  be  forced 
around  the  outside  of  the  shell  in  both  soft  material  and  rock,  and  each  tunnel 
will  be  lined  with  concrete. 
CROSS         The  tunnel  is  of  new  design  in  its  cross  section.    The  track  is  to  be  laid  in  a 

C?  C         1  T*i.T 

trough  slightly  greater  in  width  than  the  widest  car,  the  sides  of  which  extend 
nearly  up  to  the  window  sills.  Sidewalks  will  be  formed  upon  each  side  at  the  top. 
Within  the  sides  there  will  be  conduits  for  telegraph  and  telephone  wires,  with 


38 


PENA'SVLy.l.Wl.l  R.llLKUAl)   1  rXMiLS 


high  and  low  Icnsioii  circuits.  By  the  tonus  of  the  franchise  the  company  pays 
the  city  $200  a  year  for  the  privilege  of  passing  lieneath  the  two  rivers.  Con- 
cerning this  requirenienl.  the  committee  a])pointe(l  b)'  \hv  Ivapiil  Transit  lioanl 
to  carry  on  prehminary  negotiations  with  the  railroad  company  said: 

"The  amnial  payment  of  $200  for  the  routes  under  the  Nortli  and  East  FRANCHISE 
Rivers  outside  of  pier  head-lines  is  more  than  nominal,  though  it  is  not  impor- 
tant. It  may  be  said  in  general  that  anyone  who  bridges  a  navigable  river,  or 
tunnels  it  so  as  to  bring  the  opposite  banks  into  easy  communication  without 
interference  with  navigation,  confers  great  benefits  upon  the- communities  upon 
both  sides  of  the  river.  Nevertheless,  it  is  not  practicable  to  certainly  forecast 
the  future,  and  your  committee  has,  therefore,  deemed  it  wise  to  afifirm  the  prin- 
ciple of  compensation,  although  making  the  rate  for  the  first  period  of  25  years 
•So  small  as  not  to  be  a  material  burden  to  the  Pennsylvania  Company." 

For  passing  under  the  docks  and  bulkheads  the  payment  is  to  be  $0.50 
per  annum  for  the  first  10  years  and  $1  for  the  ne.xt  15  years,  for  each  linear 
foot  of  single  track.  The  same  rate  is  required  for  passing  under  the  streets, 
with  the  exception  of  Thirty-second  and  Thirty-third  streets,  between  Seventh 
-and  Ninth  avenues.  For  the  latter  privilege  the  company  will  pay  $14,000  per 
annum  for  the  first  10  years  and  $28,000  for  the  next  15  years. 

For  the  station  at  Thirty-third  street  and  Fourth  avenue  the  payment  will 
l)e  $14,000  a  year  for  the  first  10  and  $28,000  for  the  next  15  years. 

For  the  privilege  of  its  main  station  the  company  will  pay  $36,000  per 
.annum  for  25  years,  after  which  the  compensation  is  to  be  readjusted.  These 
.annual  payments  cease  if  the  company  buys,  for  the  sum  of  $788,600.  that  por- 
tion of  Thirty-second  street  used  by  it.  The  franchise  allows  five  years  for  the 
■completion  of  the  work. 

In  regard  to  the  rental  for  the  space  within  pier  lines  and  streets,  at  so 
^reat  a  depth  as  not  to  interfere  with  underground  structures  or  future  rapid 
transit  railroads,  the  committee  said  : 

"The   Pennsylvania  Company  claimed,   and  not  without  reason,  that  its  PRINCIPLE 
,  '  ,  .       '  ,        .  .  ,        ,       .  ,  ,   ,    .  INVOLVED 

•enterprise  involved  a  large  investment  ^and  serious  risk;   that  it  would  bring 

•enormous  advantage  to  the  city  ;   that  it  would  promptly  and  greatly  increase 

the  assessed  vahiations  within  a  considerable  area  of  the  city,  from  which,  in 

the  increase  of  taxes,  the  city  would  derive  a  large  and  immediate  increase  in 

revenue;   that  the  underground  portions  of  the  streets,  nowhere  approaching 


39 


RAPID  TRANSIT 


within  19  feet  of  the  surface,  had  no  present  vakie ;  that  the  city  itself  made  no 
use  of  such  portions  of  its  streets  and  might  never  use  them ;  that,  with  unim- 
portant exceptions,  the  city  had  never  derived  and  may  never  derive  revenue 
from  them ;  that  in  foreign  cities,  and  in  otlicr  American  cities,  Hke  rights  had 
been  accorded  without  compensation;  that,  in  the  city  of  Washington,  the  Penn- 
sylvania Company  had  itself  recently  received  such  a  right  without  rental,  and 
that  for  the  very  enterprise  now  proposed  the  Pennsylvania  Company  has 
secured  in  Jersey  City  a  right  without  rental.  On  these  and  other  grounds  the 
Pennsylvania  Company  claimed  that  the  city  ought  not  to  require  the  payment 
of  rental  for  the  use  of  such  underground  portions  of  streets  and  dock 
property. 

FRANCHISE         "Nevertheless,  your  committee  was  of  the  opinion  that  the  franchise  sought 
VALUABLE  itself  very  valuable;  that,  although  the  enterprise  would  secure  to  the 

city  highly  important  advantages,  it  was  equally  true  that  the  advantages  were 
mutual.  Heretofore  it  has  been  usual  in  this  city,  as  in  other  large  American 
cities,  to  grant  free  of  rental  to  railroad  corporations  traversing  large  sections 
of  the  country  and  which  cannot  be  classed  as  urban,  rights  of  way,  over,  on,  or 
under  any  streets.  But  conceding  that  such  a  liberal  policy  in  the  past  has 
benefited  cities  and  helped  to  build  them  up  with  marvelous  rapidity,  it  is  also 
true  that  the  railroad  corporations  themselves  have  been  benefited  in  equal,  and 
oftentimes  in  far  greater  measure.  It  would  have  been  better  for  the  cities, 
RATE  LAW  and  more  in  consonance  with  sound  polic_\'  in  dealing  with  public  property,  that 
DETERMINED  municipal  authorities  should  have  better  ap])reciatcd  the  future  value  of  their 
franchises.  Your  committee  insisted  that  in  this  case  a  departure  from  the  rule 
heretofore  too  generally  prevailing  must  be  made,  and  that  in  fixing  the  rental  it 
ought  to  be  assumed  that,  as  the  franchise  was  valuable  to  the  company,  and 
as  it  granted  use  of  city  property,  the  company  should  pay  a  fair  rental.  The 
committee  was  without  precedent  in  determining  the  precise  amount,  but  finally 
concluded  that  the  best  theory  to  adopt  was  that  of  an  annual  payment  for 
trackage,  and  to  fix  the  rate  at  one  dollar  per  foot." 

BALANCE  OF         The  report  concludes  with  the  following  pertinent  remarks: 
VALUES 

'Tt  is  estimated  that  in  the  city  of  New  York  there  are  elevated,  surface  and 
steam  railroads  aggregating  nearl}^  1.500  miles  of  single  track.  While  it  is  not 
the  purpose  of  your  committee  to  imply  that  every  mile  of  them  is  equal  in 
franchise  value  to  each  mile  of  the  Pennsylvania  tracks  now  to  be  authorized. 


40 


PHNNSYLyANl.l  N. II I. ROAD  TUNNELS 


your  committee  is  decidedly  of  the  opinion  that  very  many  miles,  and  especially 
those  of  some  of  the  steam  railroads,  have  now  a  correspondint^  franchise  value, 
and  that  if  there  had  been  a  reasonable  appreciation  of  the  future  value  of  all 
these  railroad  franchises  (elevated,  surface,  and  steam)  hy  the  municipal 
authorities  when  they  were  granted,  the  city  would  at  the  present  time  enjoy, 
and  in  the  future  continue  to  enjoy,  a  fair  proportion  of  the  pecuniary  benefit 
which  now  goes  wholly  to  the  railroads;  not  solely  as  the  result  of  their  opera- 
tion, but,  in  very  great  measure,  of  the  continuous  development  of  the  city." 

When  this  franchise  was  under  consideration,  the  J 'ennsylvania  Kailroad  PERMANENT 

•       •  *  CONTROL 

firmly  insisted  upon  the  granting  of  certain  privileges  which  it  considered  of 

vital  importance  to  its  plans.    In  building  and  developing  its  terminal,  and  in 

providing  the  necessary  connections  with  existing  steam  railroads,  it  would 

spend  from  $35,000,000  to  $50,000,000.    The  company  expected  to  provide  all 

the  needed  capital  solely  from  its  own  resources.    In  time  the  business  would 

assume  proportions  of  great  magnitude,  and  the  city  would  be  sure  to  derive  its 

share  of  the  benefits  accruing  therefrom.    The  company  was,  therefore,  fixed  in 

its  determination  to  abandon  the  project  if  it  were  not  assured  of  the  permanent 

control  of  the  improvements  it  was  prepared  to  create.    Without  a  grant  in 

perpetuity  the  railroad  might,  at  the  expiration  of  its  franchise,  be  deprived  of 

all  the  results  of  its  work.    These  considerations  led  to  the  changing  of  the  rapid 

transit  act  so  as  to  provide  for  grants  of  this  character. 

On  March  24,  1902,  Mayor  Seth  Low  sent  to  the  CTOvernor  a  bill  entitled,  AMENDMENT 

TO  CHARTER 

"An  act  to  amend  the  Greater  New  York  Charter  by  adding  a  section  in  rela- 
tion to  franchises  of  tunnel  corporations,  for  constructing  and  operating  rail- 
roads to  connect  with  other  railroads,  and  form  thereby  a  continuous  line  between 
points  within  and  points  without  the  City  of  New  York."  The  following  para- 
graphs from  ]\Iayor  Low's  memorandum  on  this  bill  are  interesting: 

"While  the  bill  provides  that  a  franchise  may  be  granted  in  perpetuity  for 
such  a  purpose,  it  carefully  guards  the  right  of  the  city  to  readjust  the  terms 
upon  which  the  franchise  shall  be  enjoyed,  at  intervals  of  not  more  than  25 
years.  The  city  is  thus  assured  of  the  periodic  opportunity  to  profit  by  any 
increase  in  the  value  of  the  franchise  such  as  time  may  easily  bring.  The  city  is 
also  assured  of  the  right  and  opportunity  to  attach  such  conditions  to  the  grant 
as  public  interests  may  require." 

"Under  these  circumstances,  I  am  of  the  opinion  that  a  perpetual  franchise  in 


41 


R.'iriD  TRANSIT 


such  a  case  may  properly  be  granted ;  for  the  city  is  not  deprived  of  the  oppor- 
tunity to  profit  by  its  increase  in  value.  It  is  only  deprived  of  the  opportunity  of 
using  the  franchise  itself  at  the  expiration  of  a  limited  grant.  Inasmuch  as  the 
project  in  contemplation  involves  a  tunnel  under  the  North  River  for  its  com- 
pletion, which  tunnel  lies  outside  of  the  city's  control  entirely;  and  inasmuch  as- 
that  portion  of  the  enterprise  which  the  city  does  control  is  so  vital  to  the  Penn- 
sylvania Railroad  Company  that  it  cannot  afford  to  enter  upon  the  undertak- 
ing except  upon  the  grant  of  a  franchise  in  per])etuity,  I  am  of  the  opinion  that 
this  is  a  case  in  which  good  judgment  justifies  an  exception  to  the  general  rule. 

BASIC  "In  this  connection,  it  may  not  be  amiss  if  1  say  that  the  provisions  in  the 
PRINCIPLE 

Greater  New  York  Charter  of  1897,  limiting  the  power  to  grant  franchises  to  a. 
grant  for  a  term  of  years,  which  were  the  basis  of  the  provisions  of  the  pres- 
ent charter,  were  inserted  at  my  suggestion,  when  a  member  of  the  first  charter 
connnission.  It  is  also  interesting  to  point  out  that  the  provision  for  a  periodic 
op]")ortunity  for  a  readjustment  of  the  terms  of  any  franchises  that  may  be 
granted,  under  Section  32  of  the  Rapid  Transit  Law,  was  also  inserted  at  my 
instance,  when  I  was  a  member  of  the  Rapid  Transit  Board.  It  will  not  there- 
fore be  contended,  I  am  sure,  that  I  have  ever  been  careless  of  the  city's  inter- 
ests in  these  regards.  The  basic  principle  of  the  ground  lease,  which  I  have 
often  urged  as  a  model  for  the  city  in  its  dealings  with  its  franchises,  is  the 
opportunity  which  such  a  lease  afifords  for  a  periodic  adjustment  of  the  terms 
between  the  owner  and  the  lessee.  If  this  privilege  is  retained,  it  becomes  to  a 
certain  extent  a  matter  of  discretion  as  to  whether  a  franchise  should  be  granteJ 
in  perpetuity  or  not.  I  freely  admit  that  I  prefer  grants  for  a  limited  period ;. 
but  even  so  good  a  rule  as  this  may  sometimes  suffer  an  exception  in  the  public 
interest." 

LAW         "pj-ie  Governor  sent  to  the  Legislature  an  emergency  message  in  behalf  of 
ENACTED 

the  immediate  enactment  of  the  bill.  It  became  a  law ;  and  established  beyond 
question  the  power  of  the  Board  to  grant  such  franchises  as  that  desired  by  the 
Pennsylvania  Company.  This  new  legislation  and  the  grants  to  the  Pennsyl- 
vania and  to  the  New  Jersey  tunnel  companies  have  tended  to  establish  the  policy 
that,  for  all  transportation  purposes,  the  streets  of  the  city,  whether  on  the  sur- 
face or  below  the  surface,  shall  be  dealt  with  in  the  first  instance  by  the  Rapid 
Transit  Commission. 

That  Commission  has  consistently  and  effectively  sought  to  guard  against 


42 


PENNSYLVANIA  RAILROAD  TUNNELS 

improvident  grants  of  transportation  franchises  to  private  corporations. 
\\  lu'tlier  railroad  construction  and  operation  be  nnmicipal  or  under  control  of 
])rivate  corporations,  it  has  held  that  no  railroad  use  of  streets  shall  obstruct 
future  rapid  transit  or  other  profitable  use  of  the  streets  for  transportation  pur- 
poses ;  that  the  city  shall  receive  compensation  for  the  use  of  streets,  and  that 
the  terms  of  such  compensation  shall  be  readjusted  at  reasonably  brief  intervals. 
If  the  Rapid  Transit  Commission  had  rendered  no  other  service  to  the  city  than 
to  promote  and  determine  this  policy,  it  deserves  very  high  appreciation  from 
the  citizens  of  to-day  and  those  who  will  ccme  hereafter. 

The  stupendous  work  undertaken  by  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  will  be  use-  USEFULNESS 
fu!  in  our  city  in  a  remarkable  degree.  The  city  will  no  longer  be  insular,  so 
far  as  passenger  transportation  is  concerned.  It  will  have  direct  communica- 
tion under  the  East  and  North  rivers.  This  will  serve  greatly  the  convenience  of 
people  who  are  journeying  to  or  from  distant  points,  and  also  the  convenience  of 
the  greater  multitudes  who  go  and  come  from  their  homes  in  the  country  or 
l)y  the  sea. 

And  this  must  follow.  There  are  other  railways  that  serve  our  city.  For  FUTURE 
each  of  these  new  conditions  will  be  created  by  the  enterprise  of  the  Pennsyl-  EFFECTS 
vania  people.  It  would  be  going  far  to  say  that  these  other  systems  must 
emulate  in  full  the  enterprise  of  that  great  railroad.  But  certainly-  they  will  be 
stirred  to  do  what  they  can.  And  so  we  may  expect  more  than  one  system  of 
railway  tunnels  under  the  Hudson,  and  we  may  expect  great  improvements  in 
the  approaches  from  the  north.  Otherwise  it  will  be  said  in  the  future  that  the 
Pennsylvania  Railroad  had  the  courage  to  provide  not  only  for  its  own  proper 
traffic,  but  also  in  such  way  as  to  gather  to  itself  traffic  that  belongs  normally  to 
others — that  in  fact  it  found  great  opportunities  in  the  failures  of  rival  lines. 
Some  of  these  other  lines  command  enormous  resources.  The  real  traffic  of  some 
of  them  is  greater  than  that  of  the  Pennsylvania.  Surely  it  behooves  them  to 
look  to  the  future. 


43 


CHAPTER  VI. 


ELEVATED  RAILROADS 


NEW  YORK. 

RAPID  ^^^^  present  generation  can  have  but  a  vague  conception  of  the  many  and 

TRANSIT  varied  schemes  tliat  have  been  brought  forward  to  solve  the  rapid  transit  prob- 
SCHEMES  j^j^^  Thirty  years  ago,  in  1875,  the  city  took  official  cognizance  of  the  question, 
and  the  first  Rapid  Transit  Commission  came  into  being.  Before  and  after  that 
time  private  enterprises  were  advocated,  plans  innumerable  were  drawn,  legis- 
lation was  obtained,  capital  was  subscribed;  yet  only  one  undertaking  became 
an  accomplished  fact.  Some  of  the  more  prominent  of  these  schemes  are  men- 
tioned in  the  following  chapters ;  but  in  a  cursory  way,  since  they  are  interesting 
only  as  incidents  having  an  influence,  but  not  a  permanent  place,  in  the  final 
solution  of  the  problem. 

Dealing  with  the  subject  in  January,  1874,  the  Railroad  Gazette  said: 
"The  number  of  people  in  New  York  who  think  they  know  how  to  build  a  rapid 
transit  railroad  is,  we  believe  quite  as  large  as  those  who  are  sure  they  could 
edit  a  newspaper  or  keep  a  hotel.  It  is  amusing  to  hear  some  of  these  assert,  in 
the  most  dogmatic  way,  principles  about  which  the  most  experienced  engineer 
would  hesitate  to  give  an  opinion.  The  whole  subject  has  been  up  for  discus- 
sion twenty  years  or  more,  and  makes  its  appearance  annually  in  the  State  Legis- 
lature. No  systematic  effort,  so  far  as  we  know,  has  thus  far  been  made  to 
collect  accurate  information,  and  the  public  mind  is  in  a  state  of  chaos  regard- 
ing the  whole  subject." 

GRAVITY  OF  That  the  gravity  of  the  situation  was  appreciated  is  shown  by  the  follow- 
ing further  quotation  from  the  same  paper:  'Tt  is  not  necessary  to  say  anything 
here  of  the  importance,  in  many  different  ways,  of  rapid  transit  to  New  York. 
It  would  widen  her  borders  immensely;  and  population  that  belongs  to  her. 
instead  of  being  driven  across  two  rivers,  would  find  convenient  and  in  every 
way  desirable  homes  to  the  northward  in  Westchester  County.  It  is  the  one 
possible  remedy  for  the  overcrowding  which  has  imposed  so  many  social,  moral 


SITUATION 


44 


JiLEl'.l TED  RAILNOADS 


and  political  evils  upon  the  city.  This  overcrowding  is  likely  to  grow  worse  in 
degree  and  in  cunsc(|ucnccs,  unless  some  moans  shall  ho  provided  for  supjjlying 
frequent,  rapid,  and  cheap  moans  of  traveling  Ijotweon  those  i)arts  of  the  city 
where  business  is  done  and  districts  nearby,  now  thinly  peopled." 

The  undertaking  that  formed  the  exception  referred  to  was  the  inception  of  ELEVATED 
elevated  railroads.    The  four  linos,  constructed  prior  to  1880,  constituted  the 
only  method  of  rapid  communication  between  the  northern  and  southern  sec- 
tions of  the  city,  until  the  opening  of  the  subway  last  year. 

The  first  line  to  bo  put  in  practical  operation  was  popularly  known  as  the  NEW  YORK 
Greenwich  street  elevated,  although  its  corporate  name  was  the  New  York  ^qms'^^'^ 
Elevated  Railroad.    The  plan  of  this  road  originated  with  C.  T.  Harvey.  A 
company  was  organized,  and  in  April,  1867,  a  charter  was  granted  by  the  Legis- 
lature, empowering  the  company  to  construct  an  experimental  lino.    Section  2 
of  the  act  was  as  follows: 

"The  railway  horebv  authorized  shall  be  operated  exclusively  by  means  of  GENERAL 
propelling  cables  attached  to  stationary  engines  placed  beneath  or  beyond  the  "^'^ 
surface  of  any  street  through  which  such  railway  may  pass,  and  shall  be  con- 
cealed from  view  so  far  as  the  same  may  be  detrimental  to  the  ordinary  uses  of 
such  streets.  The  structure  shall  consist  of  a  single  track,  upon  which  the  cars 
are  to  be  moved  in  contrary  directions  upon  opposite  sides  of  the  street,  which 
track  shall  not  exceed  5  feet  in  width  between  center  of  rails,  and  shall  be  sup- 
ported by  a  series  of  iron  columns,  not  exceeding  18  inches  in  diameter  at  the 
surface  of  the  pavement,  or  equivalent  space  if  in  an  elliptical  form,  which 
columns  shall  bo  jilaced  at  intervals  of  not  less  than  20  feet,  except  at  street 
crossings  or  sidings,  along  the  curbstone  lino  between  the  sidewalk  and  car- 
riageway, and  attached  at  their  upper  extremities  to  the  track  aforesaid,  so  that 
the  center  of  the  track  shall  be  perpendicular  to  the  center  of  the  columns,  and 
at  a  distance  of  not  less  than  14  feet  above  the  surface  of  the  pavement. 
Wherever  deemed  necessary  to  prevent  oscillation  of  the  track  aforesaid,  a  sec- 
ond series  of  columns  may  be  extended  on  the  building  side  of  the  sidewalk,  at 
intervals  of  not  less  than  20  feet,  which  shall  not  be  more  than  9  inches  in 
diameter  at  surface  of  pavement,  and  shall  be  so  placed  as  not  to  obstruct  any 
existing  door  or  window  without  consent  of  the  owner ;  and  from  the  upper 
extremity  of  which  braces  or  girders  may  be  extended  to  the  first  series  of  col- 
umns mentioned  for  the  purposes  aforesaid." 


45 


RAI'lD  TKANSII 


EXPERl-         In  July,  1868,  an  experimental  section  was  built  from  the  Battery  to  Dey 

MENTAL  street,  alono;  Greenwich,  a  distance  of  about  one-half  mile. 
SECTION 

In  the  editorial  correspondence  to  the  Journal  of  the  Franklin  Institute,, 
dated  New  York,  December,  1867,  we  find  tiic  following,  under  the  caption, 
"West  Side  and  Yonkers  Patent  Railway,"  which  ilescribes  how  this  road  should 
be  constructed  and  operated : 
DESCRIPTION  "The  experimental  half  mile  authorized  by  act  of  legislature  last  winter  is- 
F  ROAD  j^j^jj^],^.  completed.  The  line  starts  corner  of  Greenwich  street  and  the  Battery, 
and  is  now  finished  ;ip  to  Rector  street,  a  distance  of  some  1,500  feet.  If  the 
present  experiment  proves  a  success,  the  line  will  be  continued  this  winter  up 
Xmth  avenue  to  the  Hudson  River  Railroad  depot,  corner  of  Thirtieth  street, 
with  the  eventual  idea  of  extension  to  the  village  of  Yonkers,  on  the  Hudson, 
T/a  King's  Bridge.  Should  results  warrant  the  further  introduction  of  this- 
system,  a  mitldle  route  up  Broadway,  as  also  an  east  side  one  as  far  as  New 
Rochelle,  on  the  Sound,  are  embodied  in  the  schemes  of  the  projectors. 
CONSTRUC-  "The  mode  of  construction  is  simple  and  elegant,  being  unobstructive  and 
TION  open.  The  supporting  principle,  following  the  line  of  the  curbstone,  consists  of 
single,  wrought-iron  columns,  as  made  under  the  patent  of  the  Phoeni.x  Iron 
Company  of  Philadelphia,  about  14  feet  high,  with  the  segments  spread  out  in  a 
graceful  curve,  to  which  the  cross-heads  for  supporting  the  rail  girders  are 
attached.  These  are  four-segment,  8-inch  columns,  with  a  thickness  of  metal  of  ^ 
of  an  inch.  They  will  be  spaced  25  feet  apart  from  center  to  center,  as  near  as 
may  be,  thus  necessitating  simple  girders  to  span  the  interval.  These  girders 
are  composed  of  8-inch  deck  beams  in  j^airs,  packed  with  a  timber  scantling,  to- 
which  the  rails  are  spiked,  thus  acting  as  an  absorbent  and  cushion  for  the  shocks 
of  the  traveling  load.  Beyond  their  fastening  on  the  cross-heads  of  the  columns, 
nothing  more  is  required  but  simple  stay-rods  to  prevent  the  spreading  of  the 
rails  and  girders. 

The  foundations  are  made  stable  bv  spreading  out  the  segments  at 
the  base  of  the  columns  in  a  similar  manner  as  noted  above.  A  heavy 
casting,  with  the  necessary  lugs  and  ribs  upon  it,  is  made  to  fit  the  under  sur- 
face of  the  segments  thus  swelled  out,  to  which  they  are  securely  bolted.  This 
casting,  bv  means  of  its  broad,  flat  base,  is  in  turn  bolted  to  a  very  heavy  under- 
casting,  secured  to  a  well-bedded  masonry  pier  10  feet  deep,  by  means  of  long 
bolts  running  the  whole  length  of  the  masonry  and  firmly  anchored  therein. 
Betw-een  the  rail  girders  a  small  covered  square  trough,  with  a  slot  on  its  upper 


46 


liLElWTlil)  KAILKOADS 


side,  is  placed,  returning-  under  the  street  in  the  axis  of  the  roadway,  and  of 
course  throus^h  the  masonry  piers,  into  which  it  is  carefully  built." 
A  more  interesting;-  part  of  this  description  is  the  followinij : 

"The  motive  power  will  consist  of  stationary  engines  at  every  half  mile,  METHOD 

OPERATl 

under  the  sidewalk  ;  each  one  operating  a  large  single  drum  6  feet  in  diameter, 
ingeniously  contrived  to  accommodate  two  ropes  of  contiguous  sections.  The 
sections  being  so  short,  steel-wire  ropes  of  but  |  inch  in  diameter  will  be  used, 
thus  obviating-  what  has  always  been  considered  an  insurmountable  difficulty. 
The  cars  pass  from  one  section  to  another  by  means  of  their  own  momentum. 
The  gap  thus  caused  is  not  over  20  feet,  so  that  at  a  speed  of  10  miles  an  hour 
the  resistance  to  progression  must  be  inappreciably  small.  At  proper  intervals, 
the  rope  will  be  attached  to  what  you  may  call  "universal  trucks,"  about  2  feet 
long.  They  are  universal  in  the  sense  that  no  matter  what  position  they  may 
assume,  friction  rollers  will  always  be  presented  to  roll  upon.  Upside  down  or 
sideways,  they  will  roll ;  in  addition  to  which  the  attachment  of  the  rope  is  by 
means  of  swivel  joints,  so  that  no  kink  or  twist  can  arise.  A  strong  finger,  as  it 
were,  projects  above  the  slot  mentioned  in  connection  with  the  middle  box  in 
which  it  runs.    To  this  the  car  is  attached. 

"The  construction  of  the  cars  becomes,  perhaps,  the  vital  point  in  this 
scheme;  but  so  far  as  competent  engineering  judgment  can  discern,  no 
mechanical  device  has  been  neglected  that  promised  to  insure  success.  Experi- 
menting alone  will  tell  the  tale. 

"The  difficulty  is  just  here — a  rope  is  running,  say  at  a  speed  of  10  miles  an 
hour,  with  nothing  visible  but  the  little  fingers  of  the  trucks.  To  these  fingers 
the  cars  must  be  attached  and  detached,  without  slackening  the  rope  and  with- 
out producing  a  shock  on  the  car  or  its  passengers ;  it  must  slow  up  in  stop- 
ping- and  gradually  get  headway  in  starting.  It  would  hardly  do  to  jump  at 
once  to  full  speed  ;  it  would  rack  everything  to  pieces.  The  slowing  up  after 
detachment  will  be  a  matter  easily  regulated  by  the  brakes ;  but  how  to  store  up 
sufficient  monientum  to  get  under  headway  before  making  fast  is  the  crucial  point 
be\on(l  which  all  other  difficulties  are  but  trifles." 

This  was  to  be  accomplished  in  the  following  way : 

"The  first  experimental  car  will  be  about  30  feet  long,  with  a  barrel  placed  CABLES 
immediately  below  the  floor,  running  the  full  length  of  the  car,  surrounded  by  a 
stiff  spiral  spring.    Secondary  springs  of  india  rubber  are  attached  to  the  spiral 


47 


RAI'lD  TRANSIT 


PROPELLING 
.  POWER 


Spring  and  the  body  of  the  car,  running  in  an  oblique  direction.  The  shock  of 
contact  will  be  taken  up  on  the  springs,  which  force  is  stored  up  by  another 
set  of  springs,  to  be  used  in  starling  the  car  for  the  next  station.  Attached  to 
the  spiral,  and  sliding  on  the  barrel,  the  innnediate  attachment  is  effected  by 
means  of  a  lever  operated  by  the  attendant  in  charge  of  the  car." 

"N.  Y.  ELEVA-  Mistakes  of  a  serious  nature  had  been  made  both  in  the  design  of  the 

"^f^A  n 'r-'r^'  Structure  and  the  method  of  propelling  the  trains.  The  columns  were  much  too 
light  for  the  service,  and  considerable  experimenting  was  done  before  a  satis- 
factory sujjport  was  obtained.  Moving  the  cars  by  a  system  of  endless  cables,  as 
prescribed  by  law,  i)roved  to  be  a  total  failure.  'J"he  result  was  that  those  who 
had  contributed  financially  to  the  undertaking  lost  all  confidence ;  the  road  was 
placed  in  the  hands  of  trustees,  and  finally  sold  under  foreclosure  of  mortgages 
held  by  various  parties.  The  property  and  franchise  were  taken  over  by  the 
Xew  ^'ork  Elevated  Railroad  Company,  a  corporation  organized  with  a  capital  of 
$10,000,000. 

STEAM  AS  In  the  meantime,  legislation  had  been  obtained  permitting  the  use  of  steam  as 

the  propelling  power.  The  new  owners  immediately  removed  the  cables,  and 
introduced  light  four-wheeled  locomotives.  Tests  with  the  new  engines  were  so 
successful  that  the  company  began  the  regular  carriage  of  passengers  A\)v\\  20, 
1871.  After  the  installation  of  the  engines  the  road  became  genuinely  successful.  At 
the  beginning  of  1874  the  equiimient  comprised  4  engines  and  10  cars ;  each  of  the 
latter  seating  48  passengers  and  weighing  ]  1,000  pounds.  The  quickest  running 
time  for  the  four  miles  of  road  then  in  operation  was  18  minutes.  From  April  20, 
1871,  in  January  2,  1872.  54.08  passengers  were  carried;  in  1872  there  were 
242,100  passengers;  and  in  1873,  723,253  passengers.  Up  to  the  first  of  1874 
not  a  passenger  had  been  injured.  In  those  days  the  company  refused  to  take 
more  passengers  than  it  could  seat. 
GILBERT  In  1871  a  new  road  was  chartered  by  the  Legislature.  The  Gilbert  Elevated 
Railroad  proposed  to  erect  a  pneumatic  tube,  supported  from  heavy  arches  above 
the  street.  It  was  claimed  that  this  road  would  be  practically  noiseless  and 
the  trains  out  of  sight.  As  this  plan  was  found  to  be  impracticable  and  entirely 
too  expensive,  it  was  decided  to  build  the  tube  without  a  top,  and  operate  a 
steam  road  in  the  trough  thus  formed.  Finally  the  trough  was  also  abandoned, 
and  the  plan  resolved  itself  into  a  simple  elevated  steam  road.  These  alterations 
caused  much  opposition  and  extended  litigation. 


ELEVATED 
RAILROAD 


48 


ELEVATED  RAILROADS 


According-  to  Wilson's  History  of  New  York,  the  Rapid  Transit  Commission 
of  1875*  rejiorted,  in  December  of  that  year,  "that  their  work  was  at  an  end, 
and  that  the  task  of  bnilding  the  roads  npon  the  assigned  streets — Xintli,  Sixtli, 
Tliird  and  Second  avenues- — had  been  awarded  to  the  (iilbert  road  and  to  the 
New  York  road,  the  corporation  then  operating  the  Httle  elevated  road  on 
Greenwich  street.' 

In  1876  the  New  York  road  had  extended  its  line  to  Fifty-ninth  street,  and 
was  running  "40  through  trains  each  day." 

In  the  spring  of  1877  a  controlling  interest  in  this  road  was  obtained  by 

Cyrus  W.  Field,  who  exhibited  the  same  zeal  in  pushing  it  to  final  completion 

that  had  marked  his  connection  with  the  Atlantic  cable. 

In  those  days  the  companies  were  almost  constantly  obstructed  by  suits  LEGAL 

TROUBLE 

brought  by  abutting  property  owners.  In  1877  a  single  track  and  several  sid- 
ings had  been  built  from  the  Battery  to  Central  Park,  but  it  was  impossible  to 
complete  the  system  because  of  legal  proceedings.  The  same  cause  stopped 
work  on  the  east  side.  In  September  of  that  year  the  Court  of  Appeals,  by 
unanimous  decision,  declared  that  both  companies  were  legal  organizations,  hav- 
ing proper  authority  to  build  the  structures  they  had  undertaken  when  stopped ; 
and  all  injunctions  were  dissolved. 

After  this,  work  was  rushed  on  both  lines,  and  on  June  5,  1878,  the  Sixth 
avenue  road  was  opened  from  Rector  street  to  the  Park.  In  the  intervening 
time  it  had  passed  into  the  control  of  the  Metropolitan  Elevated  Company.  In 
1879  the  two  companies  were  consolidated  under  the  control  of  the  Manhattan 
Railway  Company. 

In  August,  1878,  the  Third  avenue  line  was  opened  to  Forty-second  street, 
and  two  years  later  the  Second  avenue  line  to  Sixty-seventh  street.  In  1880  the 
roads  on  both  sides  of  the  city  had  reached  the  Harlem.  Later  the  Third  avenue 
line  crossed  the  river  and  was  carried  to  Bronx  Park. 

On  January  i,  1903,  the  Interborough  Rapid  Transit  Company  leased  the  INTER- 
Manhattan  Railway  Company  for  999  years,  beginning  April  i,  1903  ;  the  lessee 

RAPID 

guaranteeing  dividends  of  6  per  cent,  per  annum,  and  an  additional  amount,  if  TRANSIT  CO, 
earned,  of  i  per  cent,  until  January  i,  1906;  and  after  that  date  dividends  of  7 
per  cent,  upon  the  par  value  of  stock  outstanding.    At  the  present  time,  there- 
fore, the  Interborough  Rapid  Transit  Company  controls  the  entire  elevated  sys- 
tem, as  well  as  the  underground  roads  now  finished. 


*  A  more  extended  account  of  the  work  of  this  commission  is  presented  in  another 
chapter. 

49 


RAPID  TRANSIT 


The  elevated  roads  certainly  provided  rapid  transit  facilities  between  the 
congested  southern  portion  of  New  York  and  the  districts  to  the  north  for  many 
years.  In  sparselv  inhabited  regions  such  roads  will  undoubtedly  be  foiuid  use- 
ful in  the  future,  but  their  Ik'ld  is  limited. 


CHAPTER  VII. 


RAPID  TRANSIT  COMMISSION  OF  1875. 

A  law  enacted  in  1875  authorized  the  Mayor  of  New  York  City  to  appoint  a  COMMISSION 
l')oard  of  Rapid  Transit  Commissioners  to  decide  whether  the  city  actually  APPOINTED 
needed  rapid  transit,  to  select  the  route  or  routes,  and,  if  found  expedient,  to 
organize  a  company  to  ljuild  the  lines.    Mayor  William  H.  Wickham  appointed 
the  following  commissioners :  Joseph  Seligman,  Lewis  B.  Brown,  Cornelius  II. 
Delamater,  Jordan  L.  Mott  and  Charles  J.  Cauda. 

This  Board  had  power  to  locate  "such  railway  or  railways  over,  under, 
through,  or  across  the  streets,  avenues,  places,  or  lands,  except  Broadway  and 
Fifth  a\-enue  below  Fifty-ninth  street,  and  Fourth  avenue  above  Forty-second 
street,  and  except  such  portions  of  streets  and  avenues  as  are  legally  designated 
for  'the  main  line  of  or  occupied  by  an  elevated  or  underground  railway  in 
actual  operation."  The  Board  was  to  decide  the  first  question  within  30  days 
after  its  organization,  and  the  second  within  the  next  60  days. 

At  that  time  the  only  facilities  the  City  of  New  York  had  for  the  transpor- 
tation of  passengers  north  and  south  were  the  Broadway  omnibuses  and  the 
horse  car  lines  on  the  avenues  and  along  the  docks,  and  the  section  of  the  New 
York  Elevated  Railroad,  along  Greenwich  street  and  Ninth  avenue,  from  the 
Battery  to  the  Park. 

The  Gilbert  Elevated  Railway  Compan}-  had  been  incorporated,  and  had  EARLY 
the  privilege  of  building  an  elevated  road  along  Sixth  avenue;  but  the  struc- 
ture, required  by  the  terms  of  the  charter,  was  so  costly  that  the  company  had 
not  been  able  to  procure  the  necessary  capital.  That  company  held  the  opinion 
that  if  the  Conmiission  would  permit  them  to  construct  a  less  expensive  road, 
they  would  be  able  to  complete  the  work.  The  two  companies  entered  into 
amicable  arrangements  to  construct  certain  portions  of  their  lines,  which  were 
located  in  common,  by  a  union  of  their  funds.  To  further  this  object  the  Com- 
mission located  routes  for  each  company ;  one  from  the  Battery  to  the  Harlem 
River,  through  Third  avenue  and  the  Bowery,  for  the  New  York  Elevated,  and 


51 


RAPID  TRANSIT 


the  other  from  the  Battery  to  the  Harlem,  by  way  of  Second  avenue,  for  the 
Gilbert  Company. 

The  Commission  was  satisfied  with  these  two  companies.     In  its  com- 
munication to  the  Mayor  under  date  of  September  6,  1875,  it  says: 

"Having  investigated  the  plans  by  which  the  two  companies  propose  to  raise 
capital,  and  having  ourselves  personally  conferred  with  and  interrogated  the 
gentlemen  whose  names  were  put  forward  as  furnishing  the  financial  guaranty, 
we  were  satisfied  that  the  location,  upon  their  chartered  routes,  of  rapid  transit 
roads  under  this  act,  would,  humanly  speaking,  render  success  certain." 
COMMISSION         Doubts  as  to  the  exact  meaning  of  certain  sections  of  the  act  influenced 

ORGANIZES        Connnission  to  organize  a  corporation  "as  the  law  allows  us  to  do,  to  render 
CORPORA-  ^ 

TION  assurance  doubly  sure  that  our  labors  will  result  in  rapid  transit  actually."  The 

corporation  was  known  as  the  Manhattan  Railway  Company,  and  w^as  capital- 
ized at  $2,000,000.  The  corporation  was  organized  for  the  purpose  of  con- 
structing, maintaining,  and  operating  steam  railways  for  the  transportation  of 
passengers,  mails,  or  freight,  wholly  within  the  city  of  New  York.  The  routes 
selected  were  practically  identical  with  the  present  Second,  Third,  Sixth  and 
Ninth  aveiuie  lines.  The  articles  of  association  defined  the  type  of  elevated 
road  to  be  built,  the  time  for  the  erection  of  the  several  portions,  and  the  rates  of 
fares.  Books  were  opened  October  29,  1875,  and  the  entire  capital  stock  was 
subscribed  for.  The  work  of  this  commission  was  finished  with  the  granting  of 
franchises  for  building  roads  to  the  Plarlem  River  along  the  routes  just  named. 
In  1879  the  Manhattan  Railway  Company  acquired  control  of  the  other  two 
companies,  and  thereby  the  control  of  the  elevated  railroad  service  of  New 
York. 

TUNNELS  NOT  Although  tunnel  projects  were  at  that  time  very  numerous,  the  Commission 
did  not  at  any  time  seriously  consider  the  subwa\-  question  as  in  any  way  likely  to 
meet  the  demands  for  better  transit  accommodations.  The  engineering  difficul- 
ties and  the  financial  uncertainties  involved  were  held  to  bar  such  projects.  At 
that  period  underground  works  of  the  kind  were  in  their  infancy.  The  great 
sub-surface  lines  of  to-day  did  not  then  exist,  excepting  two  tunnels  under  the 
Thames.  But  London  had  already  foreseen  that  the  only  practical  solution  of 
rapid  transit,  in  thickly  populated  cities  having  narrow  streets,  involves  the 
use  of  tunnels.  Upon  the  completion  of  the  Tower  Subway,  in  1869,  this  method 
was  widely  heralded  as  being  the  only  one  capable  of  solving  the  street  traffic 
problems  of  a  crowded  city. 


SERIOUSLY 
CONSIDERED 


52 


K.iril)   rN.lXSlT  COMMISSION  OP  i>i75 


The  next  fifteen  years  witnessed  a  chang;c  of  opinion  in  New  York.  The 
Commission  of  1891  advocated  a  tunnel  scheme,  and  the  absolute  exclusion  of 
further  elevated  structures  from  narrow  streets.  Its  work  merged  into  that  of 
the  present  Rapid  Transit  Commission. 


CITY    HALL   STATION  NEW   YORK  SUBWAY. 


53 


CHAPTER  Vlll. 


COMMISSION  OF  1891. 

ORGANIZA-  The  rapid  transit  act  of  1891  provided  for  the  continuance  in  office  of 
"^SION^OF  ^89l"  ^^'  ^'^'^"^  Steinway,  Jolni  II.  Starin,  Samuel  Spencer.  John  II.  Inman  and  Eugene 
L.  Bushe,  who  had  been  appointed  commissioners  by  Mayor  Grant  in  1890  under 
the  Act  of  1875.  The  commissioners  were  required,  if.  after  investigation,  they 
deemed  the  construction  of  a  rapid  transit  railroad  necessary,  first,  to  adopt  the 
routes  and  general  plan  of  construction  for  such  railroad ;  second,  to  obtain  the 
consent  to  the  construction  and  operation  of  such  railroad  by  the  local  authori- 
ties and  the  property  holders  affected,  or,  if  the  consent  of  the  property  hold- 
ers should  be  withheld,  then  the  consent  of  the  General  Term  of  the  Supreme 
Court;  third,  to  adopt  detailed  plans  for  the  construction  and  operation  of  su.ch 
road  ;  and,  lastly,  to  sell  the  right  to  construct  ancl  o])erate  such  railroad  to  a 
corporation  to  be  formed  under  the  terms  of  the  Act,  for  such  a  period  of  time 
as  they  should  deem  advisable  and  upon  such  terms  as  they  should  be  able  to 
exact. 

This  Board  made  a  careful  e.\amination  of  the  entire  question  with  the 
assistance  of  William  E.  Worthen  and  Wm.  Barclay  Parsons,  whom  it  had 
appointed  its  engineers.  After  holding  a  number  of  public  hearings  the  unani- 
mous conclusion  was  reached  that  not  only  were  additional  transit  facilities 
needed,  but  that  such  facilities  could  only  be  obtained  in  an  adequate  manner  by 
the  construction  of  underground  roads. 
LOCATION  It  was  appreciated  that  any  system  devised  with  a  view  to  permanency  and  the 

OF  ROUTES  capacity  requisite  for  the  future,  would  be  costly  :  and  the  route,  in  order  to  give 
relief  where  most  needed  and  to  command  the  necessary  traffic  to  make  the 
line  remunerative,  should  be  along  main  arteries  of  travel.  Statistics  established 
the  fact  that  the  existing  north  and  south  lines  of  transit  nearest  the  center  of 
the  city  absorbed  the  greatest  travel,  and  that  the  relative  pressure  upon  them 
was  in  proportion  to  their  proximity  to  Broadway. 

These  considerations  required  the  location  of  the  lower  part  of  the  route  on  or 
near  that  thoroughfare,  the  continuation  of  the  line  north  of  Fourteenth  street  to 


54 


KAI'in  TKANSIT  COMMISSlUX  Of  1891 


be  made  by  divergir.f^  lines  to  the  east  and  west.  Since  an  elevated  structure  on 
Broadway  below  Thirty-third  street  was  prohibited  by  the  statute,  it  became 
necessary  to  plan  a  subway. 

Two  types  of  tunnel  were  considered,  namely,  one  for  a  doublc-dcck  tunnel  BROADWAY 
with  two  tracks  upon  each  deck,  and  the  other  for  four  tracks  on  a  single  level.  ^^'-^CTED 
After  a  thorough  discussion  of  the  advantages  and  disadvantages  of  both  plans,  it 
was  decided  to  build  all  the  tracks  on  the  same  level.  The  route  selected 
extended  from  the  Battery  under  Broadway  to  Fifty-ninth  street,  and  thence 
north,  on  the  west  side  of  the  city,  to  the  city  line.  At  Fourteenth  street  the  line 
turned  and  passed  under  Fourth  and  Madison  avenues  to  the  Grand  Central ; 
thence  under  Madison  avenue  north  to  the  Twenty-third  and  Twenty- fourth 
Wards.  Loops  were  to  be  built  at  the  Battery,  City  Hall  park,  and  Fourteenth 
street.  From  Morris  street  to  Vesey  there  were  to  be  three  tracks,  and  from 
Vesey  to  One-hundred-and-ninetieth  street,  on  the  west  side,  four  tracks,  and 
the  remainder  of  the  distance  two  tracks.  On  the  east  side,  from  Fourteenth 
street  to  the  Harlem  River,  there  were  to  be  four  tracks,  and  thence  to  the  city 
hmits  two  tracks. 

A  line  under  Broadway  having  been  decided  upon,  the  question  was  nar- 
rowed to  the  character  of  the  structure  and  its  distance  below  the  surface,' 
whether  it  should  be  deep  or  shallow ;  whether,  in  providing  for  four  tracks, 
the  entire  width  of  the  street,  or  only  a  portion,  should  be  used ;  and  whether 
the  surface  of  the  street  and  existing  pipes  should  be  disturbed.  Although  the 
impression  had  prevailed  that  a  rock  tunnel  could  be  driven  the  entire  distance, 
borings  made  by  the  Commission  showed  that  a  large  portion  would  be  in  sand. 

As  finally  drawn,  the  plans  called  for  a  tunnel  not  less  than  11^  feet  in  TUNNEL 
clear  height  and  11  feet  in  width  for  each  track.  The  roof  of  the  tunnel  PLANS 
was  to  be  as  near  the  surface  of  the  street  as  the  pipes  and  underground  struc- 
tures would  permit.  The  Government  Ship  Canal  and  the  Harlem  River 
were  to  be  crossed  by  double-track  draw  bridges  not  less  than  50  feet  in  the 
clear  above  mean  high  water  mark,  with  clear  spans  of  not  less  than  125  feet 
between  center  piers  and  bulkhead  line. 

The  stations  were  to  be  provided  with  ample  elevator  service  wherever  the 
platforms  were  20  feet  or  more  below  the  curb  line.  The  road  was  to  be 
operated  with  electricity  or  other  power  not  requiring  combustion  in  the  tunnel. 

The  plans  were  approved  by  the  Board  of  Aldermen,  the  Department  of 
Public  Parks,  and  by  the  Commissioner  of  Street  Improvements  of  the  Twenty- 


55 


R.irjl)  TRANSIT 


third  and  Twenty-fourth  Wards,  as  required  by  tlie  terms  of  the  Act.  All  tlie 
necessary  consents  were  obtained,  including  a  majority  of  the  property  owners 
along  Broadway. 

But,  after  all  this  had  been  accomplished,  it  was  found  that  capitalists 
could  not  be  induced  to  invest  in  tiie  enterprise.  The  undertaking  was  upon 
sucli  a  vast  scale,  and  the  prospective  revenue  so  doubtful,  that  hopes  of  carrying 
the  scheme  to  completion  were  hardly  entertained  at  all. 
BID  In  the  fall  of  1892  the  Commission  advertised  for  bids  for  the  franchise, 
and  on  December  30  met  in  the  City  Hall.  But  one  bid  was  received,  that  ot 
$1,000  from  William  N.  Amory,  who  deposited  ten  per  cent,  of  the  amount,  or 
$100  cash,  as  required  by  law.  If  the  Board  accepted  this  olYer,  it  became  its 
duty  to  notify  the  bidder  to  make  the  final  deposit  of  $1,000,000  within  five  days. 
This  amount  was  required  in  order  to  insure  the  completion  of  the  road  along 
the  lines  laid  down,  the  protection  of  the  city  and  of  property  holders.  The 
records  show  that  Mr.  Amory  refused  to  make  any  statement  to  the  Board 
regarding  his  ability  to  deposit  the  million  dollars,  and  at  the  meeting  held 
January  3,  1893,  Bowers,  counsel  for  the  Commission,  said:  "If  you  satisfy 
this  Commission,  by  the  i)roduction  of  your  securities  to-day,  or,  for  that  matter, 
to-morrow,  that  you  are  ready  to  build  this  road  and  carry  out  the  scheme, 
there  will  be  no  difficulty  about  your  getting  the  franchise."  No  explanation 
being  presented,  the  Board  refused  to  accept  the  proposition. 

Previous  to  this  important  negotiations  were  held  with  the  Manhattan  Rail- 
way Company  looking  to  the  granting  of  franchises  permitting  the  company  to 
extend  their  elevated  lines  and  to  build  additional  ones.  Just  after  the  first  meet- 
ing in  Jamiary  the  Manhattan  Company  withdrew  all  the  proposals  they  had 
made. 

At  a  meeting  on  January  17  it  was  decided,  since  a  satisfactory  bidder  could 
not  be  obtained,  to  hold  the  franchise  in  abeyance.  It  was  voted  also  that  "the 
Commission  will,  at  any  time,  upon  information  that  a  proposed  purchaser  is 
readv  to  make  a  deposit  with  the  Comptroller  sufficient  to  justify  the  belief 
that  the  road  will  be  built  in  accordance  with  the  plans  and  specifications  there- 
for, again  oflfer  said  franchise  at  public  auction,  in  accordance  with  the  terms  of 
the  statute." 

ELEVATED         At  this  meeting  the  Commission  decided,  further,  that  it  was  its  duty  to 
provide  elevated  roads  as  a  temporary  relief,  and  to  provide  further  relief  by 

56 


ROADS  FOR 
TEMPORARY 
RELIEF 


R.ll'lD  TRANSIT  COMMISSION  OF  i8gi 


"granting  additional  facilities  to  the  existing  elevated  railways,"  which  were  to  be 
extended  on  both  the  east  and  west  sides  of  town. 

Three  days  later  an  application  was  received  from  the  Manhattan  Elevated 
Railway  Company  for  permission  to  build  new  lines  and  extend  its  old  lines,  the 
total  length  of  the  extension  being  about  38  miles.  These  covered  the  whole 
citv  like  a  network.  The  Commission  refused  some  of  these  and  substituted 
others. 

At  subsequent  meetings  questions  arose  whether  other  privileges  should  be 
given  to  the  Manhattan  Company,  or  whether  the  new  lines  at  least  should  be 
disposed  of  at  public  auction.  At  the  meeting  on  March  11  Mr.  Starin  said: 
"My  point  is :  Why  are  you  going  to  give  all  these  privileges  to  the  Manhattan 
system  ?  Are  you  going  to  give  them  all  these  privileges,  or  put  them  up  at 
auction?  If  it  is  desirable  to  give  everything,  there  is  an  end  of  rapid  transit 
for  all  time.  You  cannot  think  of  having  two  rapid  transits  in  the  city  of  New 
York." 

In  April  Mr.  Starin  offered  to  vote  in  favor  of  granting  the  franchise  to  OFFER  TO 
the  Manhattan  Company,  provided  it  be  compelled  to  pay  5  per  cent,  on  the  net  qqmPANy'^^ 
receipts  of  its  entire  system ;  to  maintain  a  fare  of  5  cents  from  the  Battery  to 
the  city  line ;  and  to  pay  all  expenses  of  the  Commission  up  to  the  day  of  the 
execution  of  the  contract.  A  motion  to  this  effect  was  approved,  as  was  one  to 
grant  franchises  to  the  company  for  the  extensions  needed.  A  copy  of  these 
resolutions  was  sent  to  the  officials  of  the  elevated  road,  who  replied  that  they 
were  willing  to  pay  5  per  cent,  on  the  net  income  of  the  new  lines  other  than 
third  track,  or  3  per  cent,  on  the  income  of  the  entire  system. 

The  Commission  stipulated  that  the  net  earnings  should  be  ascertained  by 
deducting  all  operating  expenses  and  taxes  from  the  gross  earnings.  As  gen- 
erally understood,  earnings  of  this  character  are  usually  found  by  deducting  only 
the  operating  expenses,  and  not  the  taxes,  from  the  gross  earnings.  This 
made  a  material  difference  in  the  amount  to  be  paid  by  the  company. 

The  following  tables  show  the  amount  that  would  have  been  received  by  the  NET 
city   under   the   proposition   of   the   Commission  and  also  under  that  of  the  EARNINGS 
company : 


57 


RAPID  TRANSIT 


The  gross  earnings  of  tlie  AlaiiliaUan  C'uni- 

pany  for  1892  were   $10,835,978 

Deductions 

Operating  expenses  $5,375,349 

Taxes   479,864 

  5.855.213 

Net  earnings  as  determined   $4,980,765 

Compensation  proposed  l)y  tlie  Commission, 

5  per  cent,  upon  net  earnings   249,038 

The  counter  proposition  made  by  the  company  was  to  ]}ay  3  per  cent,  upon 

the  amount  found  after  deducting  from  the  gross  earnings,  not  only  all  the 

operating  expenses  and  taxes,  hut  also  the  interest  upon  bonds,  as  follows : 

Gross  earnings   $10,835,978 

Deductions 

Operating  expenses  $5,375,349 

Taxes   479,864 

•   Interest  on  bonds   1,919,052 

  7774.265 


$3,061,713 

Three  per  cent,  on  the  above,  as  proposed  by  the  company,  would  be  $91,851. 
In  1892  the  difference  between  the  two  propositions  would  have  made  a  loss  to 
the  city  of  $157,187. 

COST  OF  "phe  average  cost  of  operating  street  surface  railroads  in  New  York  is  72 
OPERATING  ^    ,  .  ,  ,  ,  .     ,  ,  . 

SURFACE        ^^"t-      the  gross  receipts,  and  yet  such  roads  are  required  to  pay  the  city  3 

AND  per  cent,  annually  of  their  gross  receipts,  for  the  first  five  years,  and  5  per  cent,  of 
ROADS  ^^^^  gross  receipts  thereafter.  At  that  time  the  operating  expenses  of  the  Man- 
hattan Company  were  about  50  per  cent,  of  the  gross  receipts,  so  that  the  com- 
pensation proposed  by  the  Commission  was  equal  to  but  2\  per  cent,  of  the  gross 
receipts,  or  less  than  one-half  the  ordinary  tax  regularly  paid  by  the  street 
railroads. 

In  a  statement  before  the  Commission,  made  by  John  H.  Starin.  v/e  find  the 
followins: : 


58 


K.U'in   I  R.lXSn    COMMISSIOS  ()!■  iSi^i 


"The  tax  upon  stn-ot  surface  roads  amounts  to  one-quarter  of  a  cent  for 
eacli  passenger  carried.  Tlu'  Commissioners'  proposition  would  tax  the  Man- 
liattan  Company  only  one-ninth  of  a  cent  for  each  passenger  carried. 

"The  Manhattan  ('oin])an\'s  pn ij)! )sition  ci)nteni])lales  l)iU  one-twentv-fourtli  MANHATTAN 

•    ,      A.      ■  ,  .    '  .  PROPOSITION 

of  a  cent  for  each  passenger  carried.    Yet  it  costs  nearly  50  per  cent,  more  to  ANALYZED 

transjiort  a  jxissenger  on  the  surface  roads  than  it  does  on  the  elevated. 

"Is  that  company  harshly  dealt  with  when  it  is  asked  to  pay  less  than  one- 
half  as  much  as  street  railroads  pay?  Or  should  the  Commissioners  accede  to 
the  demands  of  the  comi)aiiy  that  the  city  accept  one-sixth  of  the  tax  hereto- 
fore, in  other  cases,  found  just  and  equitable,  for  the  most  valuable  passenger 
traffic  franchise  in  the  world  ? 

"In  proof  of  the  contention  that  the  payment  of  the  tax  proposed  bv  the  EARNINGS  OF 

MANHATTAN 

Commissioners  would  result  in  no  hardship  to  the  Manhattan  Company,  it 
may  be  stated  that  the  company,  had  it  paid  such  tax  in  1892,  besides  every  other 
expense  incurred  by  it,  would  have  earned  a  clear  profit  of  more  than  $2,800,000, 
equal  to  9  37/100  per  cent.,  upon  the  company's  capital  stock  of  $30,000,000. 

"The  bonded  indebtedness  of  the  company  is  $40,000,000.  The  total  of  stock 
and  bonds  is,  therefore,  $70,000,000.  It  is  certain  that  were  the  elevated  roads 
bonded  or  stocked  for  an  amount  equal  only  to  their  exact  cost,  they  could  have 
carried  last  year  the  214,000,000  passengers  actually  carried  for  a  fare  of  3  cents 
each,  and  after  payment  of  all  expenses  would  have  earned  nearly  6  per  cent, 
dividends  upon  the  actual  cost  of  the  roads." 

The  president  of  the  Manhattan  Railway  Company,  in  a  letter  dated  May  25. 
1803,  refused  the  proposition  of  the  Commission  and  withdrew  the  proposal 
made  by  his  own  company.  It  is  impossible  to  conceive  the  reasons  that  prompted 
the  directors  of  the  Manhattan  Company  to  decline  a  franchise  that  would  have 
placed  in  their  control,  for  an  indefinite  period,  the  rapid  transit  facilities  of  the 
city.  J 

In  order  to  understand  the  condition  of  affairs  at  that  time,  it  is  neces- 
sary to  explain  that  the  law  creating  the  Board  of  Rapid  Transit  Commissioners 
provided  that  a  franchise  could  not  be  granted  without  the  unanimous  consent  of 
the  members.  New  York  city  at  that  time  was  in  sore  need  of  increased  rapid 
transit  facilities,  and  there  were  thousands  of  citizens  who  would  have  welcomed 
any  addition  to  the  transportation  methods,  no  matter  at  what  cost  to  the  city. 
The  temptation  to  yield  to  this  pressure  on  the  part  of  the  people  was  very  great. 

59 


( 


RAPID  TRANSIT 


COMMISSION  resolution  introduced  in  June,  1893,  proposed  to  give  the  franchises  to 

RESIGNS    ,     , ,    ,  „  ,     .      ^,  .         .      ,    ,  , 

the  Manhattan  Company  on  a  4  per  cent,  basis.    This  motion  had  the  support  of 

four  of  the  members  of  the  Commission,  Mr.  Starin  alone  voting  against  it,  and  it 
was  lost  because  of  the  unanimous  clause  in  the  statute.  After  the  meeting 
Messrs.  Steinway,  Bushe,  Spencer  and  Inman  resigned,  but,  with  the  exception  of 
Mr.  Spencer,  were  immediately  reappointed  by  Mayor  Gilroy.  D.  F.  Porter 
was  appointed  in  place  of  Mr.  Spencer.  The  proposed  franchises  were  of  the 
most  extended  and  far-reaching  character,  covering  many  of  the  principal 
streets  and  avenues  of  the  then,  city  of  New  York.  It  seems  not  too  much  to 
say  that,  but  for  the  vote  of  Mr.  Starin,  and  the  determined  stand  he  took  all 
through  the  discussions  with  the  elevated  railroad  officers,  the  construction  of 
subways  in  New  York  would  have  been  indefinitely  postponed. 
SERVICES  OF  Another  service  to  the  city,  the  value  of  which  it  is  difficult  to  estimate, 
was  rendered  by  Mr.  Starin  when  the  elevated  railway  company  made  applica- 
tion for  authority  to  build  an  elevated  line  on  the  Boulevard,  now  upper  Broad- 
way. Such  a  structure  would  have  ruined  M'hat  is  now  recognized  as  one  of 
the  finest  thoroughfares  in  the  world.  Against  this  proposal  Mr.  Starin  inter- 
posed opposition,  and  was  again  successful. 

On  August  15,  1893,  Geo.  J.  Gould,  president  of  the  Manhattan  Company, 
wrote  to  the  Commission  that,  "owing  to  the  present  disturbed  financial  condi- 
tion of  the  country,  it  is  not  considered  wise  to  assume  large  contracts."  The 
Commission  thereupon  abandoned  all  negotiations  with  the  elevated  road,  and 
concluded  to  lay  out  independent  elevated  lines  and  ofifer  them  for  sale.  The 
Commission  was  engaged  upon  that  work  when  the  present  Commission,  created 
by  the  Act  of  1894,  came  into  existence.  On  May  24,  1894,  the  Commission 
voted  to  pass  its  records,  property,  etc.,  over  to  its  successor. 

Not  all  of  the  achievements  of  the  Commission  of  1891  were  of  a  negative 
kind.  The  studies  made  by  the  engineering  stafif  under  the  direction  of  William 
Barclay  Parsons  were  of  the  greatest  value  to  the  next  Board.  The  examina- 
tions made  by  him  furnished  accurate  data  with  regard  to  the  nature  of  the 
material  through  which  a  subway  would  have  to  pass,  both  on  the  east  and  west 
sides  of  the  city.  The  study  of  the  physical  conditions  peculiar  to  New  York, 
and  of  the  work  that  had  been  done  along  similar  lines  abroad,  had  a  marked 
influence  upon  the  decision  taken  by  the  present  Commission. 


60 


CHAPTER  IX 


THE  CHAMBER  OF  COMMERCE. 


While  the  Rapid  Transit  Commission  of  1894  was  vainly  striving  to  perfect  a 
plan  that  would  give  the  people  the  transit  facilities  they  so  sorely  needed,  the 
Chamber  of  Commerce  was  giving  attention  to  the  same  problem.  Members  of 
the  Chamber  were  familiar  with  the  work  that  had  been  done,  and  were  con- 
vinced that  the  remedy  must  be  sought  along  different  lines.  The  work  so  done 
resulted  in  the  framing  of  a  bill  that  was  passed  by  the  Legislature  in  May, 
1894.    Under  that  act,  and  amendments,  the  present  subway  was  constructed. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  Chamber,  held  February  i,  1894,  William  D.  Sloane 
offered  the  following  resolution : 

"Resolved,   That  the  president  be  authorized  and  requested  to  appoint  a  rapid 

committee  of  five  to  examine  the  subject  of  rapid  transit,  and  report  what  TRANSIT 

COMMITTEE 

action,  if  any,  on  the  part  of  the  Chamber  of  Commerce,  it  is  advisable  to  take  APPOINTED 
for  the  purpose  of  aiding  in  the  solution  of  this  important  problem. 

"Resolved,  further.  That  this  meeting  be  adjourned  until  Thursday,  Feb- 
ruary 15,  at  half-past  twelve  o'clock,  for  the  purpose  of  receiving  and  taking 
action  upon  the  report  of  the  committee  to  be  appointed  under  the  provisions  of 
the  above  resolution." 

The  following  committee  was  appointed : 

Alexander  E.  Orr  Cornelius  N.  Bliss 

John  A.  Stewart  J.  Edward  Simmons 

John  Harsen  Rhoades. 

A  portion  of  the  report  presented  at  the  later  meeting  was  as  follows : 

"In  view  of  the  present  needs  and  the  probabilities — not  to  speak  of  the  REPORT  OF 
possibilities — of   the  future  of  this  city  as  the  commercial  metropolis  of  the  COMMITTEE 
United  States,  New  York  requires,  and  should  have,  the  very  best  system  of 
rapid  transit  that  the  legislative  and  municipal  authorities  of  the  state  and  city 
can  authorize,  and  engineering  and  mechanical  skill,  and  money  within  reason- 
able bounds,  can  provide. 

61 


RAPID  TRANSIT 


"Her  geographical  position  is  such  that  growth  can  only  be  made  in  one 
direction — towards  the  north — and  it  does  not  require  elaborate  argument  to 
prove  that  in  order  to  insure  the  comfort  and  hai)piness  of  the  people,  as  well  as 
continuous  prosperity  and  development,  there  must  be  an  efficient,  convenient, 
and  safe  system  of  rapid  transit  between  the  business  and  residential  divisions  of 
the  city,  which,  of  necessity,  will  always  be  widely  apart  from  each  other. 
ELEVATED         "The  ways  and  means  of  communication  that  have  heretofore  been  pro- 
RAILROADS  vided  arc  now  found  to  be  entirely  inadequate.    It  is  true  that  the  surface  roads 
^'^tp'amq'it  ^^'^'''^     great  improvement  on  the  old  style  onmibus,  and  the  elevated  roads,  in 
many  ways,  an  improvement  on  the  surface  roads ;  and  it  is  acknowledged  that 
the  city  has  derived  very  great  benefit  through  their  construction  and  opera- 
tion ;   but  it  is  also  true,  and  a  truth  that  must  not  longer  be  overlooked,  that 
they  cannot,  in  any  practical  sense,  be  said  to  be  systems  of  rapid  transit,  or 
meet  the  needs,  nor  can  they  be  made  to  meet  the  needs,  that  are  daily  becom- 
ing more  and  more  apparent,  and  that  should  not  be  longer  ignored. 

"It  is  evident  to  all  who  study  the  question  in  the  light  of  to-day  that  if  in 
the  past  there  had  been  intelligent  appreciation  of  the  possibilities  of  New  York, 
and  that  growth  could  only  be  made  in  one  direction,  suitable  provision  would 
have  been  made  for  rapid  transit  when  streets  and  avenues  were  being  located 
and  land  was  comparatively  cheap.  In  that  case,  the  problem  that  now  confronts  us 
could  have  been  easily  solved.  But  there  was  no  such  appreciation  ;  and  ten  or 
twenty  years  hence  the  same  criticism  will  apply  to  us  if,  sufTering  as  we  now 
are  because  of  past  thoughtlessness,  and  as  we  shall  continue  to  suffer  with 
increasing  intensity  as  we  grow  in  years  and  population,  we  fail,  even  at  this 
late  date,  to  provide  for  present  and  prospective  relief.  The  growth  of  New- 
York  has  no  more  culminated  to-day  than  it  had  a  decade  ago,  and  your  com- 
mittee hazards  the  opinion  that,  with  ordinary  forethought  on  the  part  of  her 
citizens  and  the  taking  advantage  of  opportunities  as  they  arise,  it  is  im])ossible  to 
say  with  any  degree  of  certainty  when,  in  the  future,  the  culminating  point  will  be 
reached. 

»«>>>M,^,nM  "For  reasons  that  need  not  be  stated  in  this  report,  vour  committee  cannot 

MUNICIPAL  ^      •  - 

CREDIT  FOR  advocate  the  building  of  any  system  of  rapid  transit  by  the  city  of  New  York; 
^'^'^ROAD  safeguards  to  be  provided  by  legislation,  it  urges  upon  the 

Chamber  the  propriety  of  recommending  that  a  single  exception  be  made  to 
the  admirable  law^  which  restricts  municipal  credit  being  lent  to  promote  private 
enterprises. 


62 


77//:  t  ll.lMHI-h-  Ol-  COMMERCE 


"VoT  the  reasons  stated  above,  effective  rapid  transit  construction  must 
now  prove  a  very  costly  undertakinf^-,  and  does  not  present  to  capital — which  is 
always  more  or  less  timid — sufficient  inducements  to  attract  the  large  sums 
necessary  to  insure  a  comi)lete  system  of  rai)id  transit  (Icvelcjpmcnt.  This  is 
why  the  Rapid  Transit  Commission  has  been  unsuccessful  in  inducing  private 
enterprise  to  accept  any  plan  that  they  have  recommended  in  the  past  two  years, 
nor  will  they  be  successful  for  many  years  to  come,  in  the  opinion  of  your  com- 
mittee, unless  in  some  legitimate  wa\'  i)rivatc  enteri)rise  is  stimulated. 

"A  corporation  organized  for  the  purpose  of  rapid  transit  construction  PRIVATE 

.  ■  CAPITAL 

could  not  expect  to  obtain  the  necessary  capital  upon  a  better  basis  than  six  per 

cent,  interest  per  annum,  while  money  borrowed  upon  the  credit  of  the  city  of  UNDERTAKE 

New  York  could  be  obtained  for  three  per  cent.    Hence  it  is  evident  that  the  ^0^^ 

revenue  necessary  to  protect  the  fixed  charges  on  capital  borrowed  in  the 

ordinary  manner  must  be  double  the  amount  of  that  needed  to  provide  for  the 

fixed  charges  on  capital  borrowed  upon  the  city's  credit.    If,  therefore,  the  city 

should  agree  to  lend  its  credit  to  such  corporation  to  the  extent  of  two-thirds  of 

the  cost  of  the  completed  system,  with  the  view  of  minimizing  the  volume  of 

fixed  charges,  the  needed  stimulus  referred  to  above  would  be  presented  and  a 

huge  margin  of  safety  secured." 

The  report  then  referred  to  the  building  of  the  Union  and  Central  Pacific 
Railroads,  both  of  which  were  private  enterprises.  The  completion  of  these 
roads  was  deemed  essential  to  national  development,  and  the  credit  of  the 
Federal  Government  was  lent  to  provide,  in  part,  for  their  construction,  and  a 
second  mortgage,  subject  to  a  prior  lien  of  equal  amount,  was  taken  as  security 
for  the  credit  so  advanced.  Although  this  was  a  departure  from  conservative 
principles,  the  result  proved  the  wisdom  of  the  course,  for  hundreds  of  millions  of 
dollars'  worth  of  wealth  were  added  to  the  resources  of  the  whole  country. 

The  report  set  forth  further  the  following: 

"Aside  from  the  advantages  of  comfort  and  convenience  to  the  people,  New  ADVANTAGES 
,r    ,  1 J      •     •  1     •  1         1        •  ,  •  ■  ,     ,      OF  RAPID 

lork  would  gam  mimensely  m  revenue  through  rapid  transit  contact  with  the  jr^v^nsit 

yet  undeveloped  portions  of  the  city  lying  to  the  north.  It  is  a  well  known  fact 
that  in  four  years  after  the  elevated  roads  had  been  permanently  established  one 
ward  alone  (the  Nineteenth)  increased  in  taxable  value  more  than  fifty  mil- 
lions of  dollars,  a  sum  many  times  greater  than  the  cost  of  their  construction, 
and  there  is  no  reason  to  doubt  that  similar  experiences  will  follow  rapid  transit 
development. 


63 


RAPID  TRANSIT 


"It  is  not  proposed,  however,  that  the  city  should  lend  its  credit  for  the 
whole  amount  needed,  or  take  undue  risk.  The  transaction  should  be  based  upon 
business  principles  of  equity  and  safety.  Not  more  than  two-thirds  of  the  cost  of 
construction  should  hr  the  maximum  credit  granted,  secured  by  a  first  lien  upon 
the  completed  structure,  its  franchise  and  equipment. 

"Your  committee  realizes  the  gravity  of  the  action  it  proposes  the  Chamber 
shall  take  in  urging-  an  exception  to  a  wisely  enacted  law,  but  the  whole  ques- 
tion is  of  such  paramount  importance,  and  further  delay  is  so  dangerous,  that 
exceptional  measures  are  necessary  to  insure  success.  If  the  following  resolution, 
which  is  presented  for  the  consideration  of  the  Chamber,  shall  be  adopted,  your 
committee  asks  to  be  continued : 
CITY  TO  "  Resolved,  That  the  Chamber  of  Commerce  of  the  State  of  New  York 
LEND  ITS  requests  the  proper  authorities  of  the  city,  the  Legislature  of  the  .State,  the  Con- 
stitutional  Convention,  and  the  Rapid  Transit  Commission  to  take  such  action  as 
may  be  necessary  to  enable  the  City  of  New  York  to  lend  its  credit  to  corporate 
enterprise  for  the  construction  of  a  rapid  transit  system  in  the  said  city,  upon 
such  terms  and  conditions  as  the  Legislature  may  impose ;  provided,  however, 
that  the  loan  of  such  credit  shall  be  restricted  to  such  one  purpose ;  and,  pro- 
vided further,  that  such  loan  shall  not  exceed  in  amount  two-thirds  the  cost  of 
construction,  and  be  a  first  lien  upon  the  property ;  and,  provided  further,  that 
the  aggregate  amount  of  the  credit  to  be  so  loaned  shall  not  exceed  the  sum  of 
thirty  millions  of  dollars.'  " 

It  will  be  observed  that  the  resolution  proposed  that  the  city  should  lend  its 
credit  to  a  private  corporation  which  should  build  the  road,  and,  presumably, 
own  and  control  it ;  the  city  having  no  financial  interest  in  it  after  the  amount 
borrowed  had  been  repaid.  The  resolution  did  not  look  to  municipal  owner- 
ship, control  or  operation. 

In  the  discussion  following  the  presentation  of  the  report,  Morris  K.  Jesup 
said : 

A  GRAVE  "We  all  agree,  at  least  I  do,  with  that  part  of  the  report  which  sets  forth 
QUESTION  the  importance  of  rapid  transit  in  this  city.  It  is  a  grave  question  in  my  mind, 
and  I  have  thought  a  good  deal  about  it,  as  to  whether  we  ought  to  set  the 
example  of  asking  the  voters  of  this  State  to  undo  such  a  wise  provision  as  now 
exists  with  reference  to  the  city's  being  empowered  to  lend  its  credit  to  private 
enterprises.  I  am  free  to  say  that,  so  far  as  my  own  mind  is  concerned,  it  is  not 
made  up  as  yet ;  and  before  entering  into  a  discussion  of  the  matter,  as  I  think  it 


64 


Tim  CIIAMIiliR  OF  COMMI'.RCE 


ought  to  be  discussed,  we  should  have  a  larger  attendance  than  we  have  here 
to-day,  so  that  if  we  do  decide  tliat  it  is  best  to  adopt  the  recommendations  of 
the  committee,  it  shall  be  done  after  a  very  careful  and  serious  consideration  of 
the  whole  matter.  I  therefore  move  that  the  report  be  printed  ;  that  a  copy  be 
sent  to  each  member  of  the  Chamber,  and  that  final  action  be  postponed  until 
the  next  regular  meeting  of  the  Chamber,  to  be  held  two  weeks  hence." 

Jacob  H.  Schitf  said  in  part: 

"If  we  do  not  get  rapid  transit  sooner  or  later — we  may  not  see  it,  but  IMPORTANCE 
coming  generations  will  feel  it — we  shall  lose  our  importance  as  a  commercial  ^^^^f^'^l,'^ 

°  °  TRANSIT 
metropolis.    Such  things  work  slowly,  but  they  work  surely  ;  and  I  cannot  see 

why,  in  a  matter  that  is  just  as  important  to  the  city  of  New  York  as  the 
supply  of  its  water  or  the  supply  of  anything  it  needs  for  its  daily  wants,  the  citi- 
zens of  New  York  should  not  put  their  hands  in  their  pockets  and  tax  them- 
selves at  as  low  a  rate  as  possible,  instead  of  taxing  themselves  at  as  high  a 
rate  as  possible,  which  they  will  have  to  do  if  private  capital  builds  the  road.  It 
will  not  cost  six  per  cent.,  but  will  probably  cost  ten  or  twelve  per  cent.,  to  get 
private  capital  to  build  that  road  ;  for,  in  all  probability,  five  per  cent,  bonds  will 
have  to  be  issued,  which  will  be  sold,  say  at  80,  and  stock  will  be  issued,  which 
will  be  thrown  in  as  a  bonus,  and  on  wdiich  in  years  to  come  some  ten  per  cent, 
dividends  w  ill  be  paid ;  so  that  it  will  not  cost  six  per  cent,  to  the  city  of  New 
York  to  build  this  road,  but  ten  or  twelve  per  cent.,  and  every  man,  woman,  and 
child  in  the  city  of  New  York  will  have  to  pay  a  part  of  it.  *  *  *  I  am 
heartily  in  favor  of  the  report  of  the  committee  and  hope  it  will  pass." 

Abram  S.  Hewitt  said: 

"Mr.  President  and  gentlemen,  I  suppose  there  is  no  one  in  this  room  who  LEGISLATION 

does  not  concur  fullv  with  the  statement  of  the  committee  that  rapid  transit  is 

^  DENTED 

indispensable  for  the  present  comfort  and  future  growth  of  this  city.  The  com- 
mittee, however,  proposes  a  new  departure — legislation  without  precedent,  so 
far  as  I  now  recall,  in  the  history  of  the  United  States,  or  the  State  of  New  York, 
or  the  city  of  New  York.  They  propose  that  the  credit  of  the  city  of  New 
York  shall  be  loaned  to  a  private  company  for  the  construction  of  a  work  of  a 
public  nature,  but  to  be  owned  and  administered  by  private  individuals.  *  *  * 
The  constitution  of  the  State  of  New  York  absolutely  prohibits  the  loaning  of 
the  public  credit  of  the  state,  or  of  any  city  or  municipality  in  the  state,  in  aid  of 
any  private  enterprise.    It  does  not  prohibit,  however,  the  construction  of  public 


65 


RAPID  TRANSIT 


works  by  municipalities,  to  be  owned  by  them  m  such  ways  as  they  may  see  fit, 
except  that  they  must  not  issue  bonds  beyond  ten  per  cent,  of  the  assessed  valua- 
tion.   That  is  the  only  limitation. 
ERIE  "When  the  State  of  New  York  was  confronted  by  a  greater  problem  than 

CANAL  ^Yiis,  the  greatest  that  has  ever  presented  itself  to  a  civilized  community  on  this 
side  of  the  Atlantic — the  construction  of  the  Erie  Canal,  upon  which  has  been 
built  up  the  superstructure  of  the  whole  state,  its  prosperity,  commercial,  agri- 
cultural and  otherwise — the  state  took  it  in  hand  :  became  the  owner,  borrowed 
the  money,  paid  for  the  work,  and.  j)erha])s  un fi irtnnatt ly,  retained  the  admin- 
istration of  the  property  after  it  was  constructed. 
CROTON  "The  city  of  New  York  has  j)ursued  the  same  system.  The  Crotoii  Aque- 
AQUEDUCT  (iutt  was  constructed  by  the  public,  at  its  own  cost,  and  administered  by  its  own 
officers.  In  no  instance  has  the  city  of  New  York  gone  into  partnership  with  a 
private  company.  In  no  instance  has  the  government  of  the  United  States  ever 
done  such  a  thing." 

Mr.  Hewitt  stated  that  the  loaning  of  the  jjublic  credit,  in  the  case  of  the 
Union  and  Central  Pacific  Railroads,  was  an  illustration  of  the  danger  of  any 
connection  between  the  state  and  private  enterprises.  While  that  great  enter- 
prise returned  more  than  it  co.st  in  increased  value  of  the  property  of  the  coun- 
try, it  is  also  true  that  "every  dollar  of  the  money  advanced  by  the  government  in 
aid  of  that  enterprise  was  misapplied  bv  the  people  who  had  charge  of  the  enter- 
prise." The  money  was  not  used  for  the  construction  of  the  road,  but  was  put 
into  private  i)ockets. 

"Gentlemen,  bear  with  me,  because  I  am  going  to  point  out  what  I  con- 
ceive to  be  the  danger  of  a  departure  from  well-recognized  principles  of  action. 
This  committee  who  have  brought  in  this  report  are  among  the  ablest  and  most 
reputable  men  in  this  Chamber.  In  their  cnvn  spheres  of  action  there  arc  no 
men  whom  we  would  follow  more  willingly  and  even  blindly  to  a  conclusion ; 
but  able  and  intelligent  as  they  are,  I  doubt  whether  they  have  given  that  atten- 
tion to  the  underlying  principle  in  their  report  which  it  would  receive  from  the 
hands  of  statesmen.  In  the  only  departure  which  I  have  ever  known  the  city  of 
New  York  to  make  from  the  sound  principle  of  having  no  connection  whatever 
with  private  enterprises,  the  scandal  was  equally  great. 

BROOKLYN         "The  Brooklyn  Bridge  was  originally  a  private  corporation  with  private 

BRIDGE 

stockholders.  The  city  of  New  York  never  loaned  its  credit  to  the  Brooklyn 
Bridge,  not  a  penny,  but  what  it  did  was  to  subscribe  for  a  portion  of  the  stock. 


66 


CILIMIU-K  01-  CUMMI-.RCIL 


The  city  of  l^rooklyn  did  the  same  thinj?.    The  achniiiistration  of  the  work  was  in  BROOKLYN 

BRIDGE 

tile  hands  of  ])rivate  stockholders,  and  it  terminated  in  a  scandal;  and  the  result  <,„».,^., 
'  SCANDAL 

was  that  the  city  of  New  York  and  the  city  of  Brooklyn  were  compelled  to  do — 
what  they  ouyht  to  have  done  in  the  first  ])lace,  or  to  have  done  nothin,!^ — they 
were  compelled  to  buy  out  the  private  stockholders  and  become  the  sole  owners 
of  the  work.  Now  I  think  these  illustrations  are  sufficient  to  point  out  to  the 
members  of  the  Chamber  the  dant^er  of  any  proposition  which  shall  look  to  a 
])artnershi])  between  the  city  of  New  York  and  any  i)rivatc  company  for  any 
THirpose  whatever,  however  urgent.  *  *  *  The  scandal  of  the  Brooklyn 
Bridgx'  led  to  the  inhibition  which  is  now  in  the  Constitution  against  allowing 
any  credit  of  the  city  to  private  enterprise.  It  was  not  in  the  original  Consti- 
tution of  1846,  but  was  inserted  by  amendment  in  order  to  avoid  just  such 
propositions  as  the  or.e  this  committee  have  submitted  to  this  (.'hambcr. 

"Now  I  like  to  get  up  and  down  town  in  comfort,  and  I  confess  I  ^m  DANGEROUS 

unable  to  do  so  at  present ;   but  I  am  not  willing  to  do  so  at  the  expense  of  ^'^^  CITY 

TO  LEND 

what  I  regard  as  the  fundamental  principles  by  which  governments  of  great  com-  ]-y-3  CREDIT 
munities  like  New  York  should  be  conducted.  You  may  get  temporary  relief, 
but  you  will  have  set  a  precedent  that  is  so  dangerous  that  you  will  have  specu- 
lators, men  who  are  seeking  to  carry  on  enterprises  for  their  own  profit,  appeal- 
ing before  the  legislature  and  coming  to  the  city  of  New  Y'ork,  and  you  will  be 
entreated  to  lend  the  public  credit  for  the  execution  of  works  which  in  them- 
selves would  be  desirable,  but  which,  if  the  public  became  interested  in  them, 
would  become  abuses  and  scandals. 

"Nor  is  there  the  slightest  necessity  for  such  a  course  in  Ibis  case;  and 
this  is  a  point  which  I  beg  gentlemen  to  consider  most  carefully.  Mr.  Schiff 
has  been  good  enough  to  allude  to  the  fact  that  while  I  was  mayor  I  gave  some 
attention  to  this  question  of  rapid  transit.  I  may  say  to  you,  gentlemen,  and 
Mr.  President,  that  I  gave  all  the  attention  that  it  was  possible  for  me  to  give, 
with  such  abilities  as  I  may  happen  to  possess,  to  the  solution  of  the  question.  I 
had  consultations  with  the  most  experienced  and  able  engineers.  I  consulted 
with  the  ablest  lawyers  in  the  city. 

"The  conclusion  was : 

"First,  that  as  the  Constitution  stood,  and  as  the  law  stands,  it  was  com-  CONCLU- 

petent  for  the  legislature  of  the  State  of  New  York  to  authorize  the  citv  of  SIONS  OF 

MR.  HEWITT 

New  Y^ork  to  construct  the  work. 

"Second,  it  was  concluded  that  to  get  rapid  transit  the  underground  system 


67 


RAPID  TRANSIT 


must  be  adopted  ;  that  it  was  impossilik-  to  t^ct  real  rapid  transit  with  an  over- 
head railway. 

"Third,  that  the  city  of  New  York  could  borrow  the  money  and  provide 
the  capital — as  all  the  committee  agree,  and  as  Mr.  Schiff  has  told  us — at  a  cost 
not  exceeding  three  per  cent. 

CITY  "And  lastly,  that  the  danger  and  abuse  that  might  cf)me  from  the  construe- 

j^Q^  tion  of  the  work  by  city  officials  and  the  operation  of  the  railway  afterwards  by 
FAVORED  public  officers,  could  be  avoided  by  the  simple  process  of  making  a  lease  to  a 
responsible  corporation  who  would  have  the  expenditure  of  the  money  in  con- 
struction, under  the  su])ervision  of  city  officers,  and  who  would  be  sure  to 
make  it  as  liglit  as  possible,  because  they  would  have  to  pay  interest  on  every 
dollar  that  was  expended." 

The  following  further  remarks  of  Mr.  Hewitt  were  prophetic : 

"It  was  thought  that  that  could  be  made  to  work  out  in  ])raclice,  and  the 
draft  of  a  law  was  made  and  sent  to  the  legislature,  and  1  regret  to  say  not  a 
man  in  the  legislature  could  be  found  to  atlvocate  it,  and  it  was  finally  intro- 
duced as  a  personal  favor  by  a  member  of  the  legislature  who  was  willing  to  do 
me  a  kindly  service.  It  was  referred  to  the  committee  and  never  reported  back ; 
and  the  reason  was  that  there  was  no  money  for  any  private  individual  behind 
that  act.    Nobodv  could  make  a  cent  out  of  it. 


PROPHETIC  "But  this  would  have  happened  if  it  had  been  enacted:  The  work  would 
REMARKS  i^^yg  been  constructed:  the  monev  furnished  bv  the  bonds  of  the  city  of  New 

MR.  HEWITT  York  at  three  per  cent. ;  and  it  wonld  have  been  leased,  as  I  had  reason  to  think, 
although  I  am  not  at  liberty  to  mention  names,  by  a  responsible  corporation,  at 
five  per  cent.,  and  the  difference  of  two  per  cent,  would  have  retired  the  bonds  in 
thirty-three  years,  and  the  city  of  New  York  would  be  the  absolute  owners, 
free  and  clear  of  all  indebtedness,  of  this  great  enterprise,  which  is  as  essential  to 
its  prosperity  as  is  the  Croton  Aqueduct.  It  would  have  been  conducted  on 
exactly  the  principles  on  which  the  Croton  Aqueduct  has  been  conducted. 
Now  this  committee,  whom  I  respect  very  nnich,  come  to  this  body  and  recom- 
mend a  departure  from  this  sound  principle. 

"I  agree  with  Mr.  Jesup  in  what  he  has  said,  that  such  a  proposition  as 
this  needs  to  be  most  carefully  considered,  and  I  trust,  therefore,  that  his  motion 
that  it  be  laid  upon  the  table  and  that  it  be  printed  and  sent  to  the  members  of 


68 


THE  CHAMlUiK  OP  COMMI-.KCIl 


tlie  body  for  consideration,  will  be  carried;  because  it  will  be  a  very  serious 
thing  indeed  if  this  Chamber,  which  is  supposed  to  represent  the  commercial 
intelligence  of  New  York,  sliall  coniniil  ilsrll  to  propositions,  or  legislation,  tliat 
have  been  condemned  not  only  by  the  jtulginent  of  the  greatest  statesmen  of  this 
country,  but  by  the  experience  of  every  state  and  city  that  has  attempted  to 
become  a  partner  with  private  individuals  in  the  construction  and  management  of 
public  enterprises." 

It  was  voted  to  defer  further  consideration  of  the  question  until  the  next 
regular  meeting,  March  i,  1H94. 

At  that  meeting  Mr.  Hewitt  offered  the  following  resolutions  as  a  substi- 
tute for  those  presented  by  the  committee : 

"Resolved,   That,  in  the  judgment  of  the  Chamber  of  Commerce  of  the  CITY  CREDIT 

TO  BE 

State  of  New  York,  additional  rapid  transit  facilities  are  so  necessary  to  the  ^qv^^nced 
growth  and  prosperity  of  the  city  of  New  York  that  the  use  of  its  credit  would  be 
justifiable,  in  case  it  is  not  found  possible,  after  careful  investigation  and  lib- 
eral concessions  in  regard  to  t3.xation  and  right  of  way,  to  secure  the  construc- 
tion of  a  proper  system  of  rapid  transit  by  private  enterprise. 

"Resolved,  That  in  case  the  credit  of  the  city  is  used,  the  ownership  of  the  CITY  TO  OWN 

RAPID 

rapid  transit  system  should  be  vested  in  the  city,  but  its  construction  and  opera-  -j-[^^j,j3[j 
tion  should  be  entrusted  to  such  responsible  corporation  now  existing  or  here-  SYSTEM 
after  to  be  formed,  as  may  be  willing  to  pay,  in  addition  to  the  interest  on  the 
city  bonds,  the  largest  annual  rental,  such  excess  to  be  used  as  a  sinking  fund  to 
retire  the  bonds  of  the  city,  and  when  the  bonds  are  so  retired,  the  lease  to  be 
terminated. 

"Resolved,  That  thereafter  the  lease  should  be  sold  to  the  highest  bidder, 

upon  such  terms  as  may  be  prescribed  by  the  city  authorities,  for  periods  not 

exceeding  thirty  years,  in  the  same  general  manner  as  the  ferries  are  now  sold, 

with  the  stipulation  that  the  successful  bidder  shall  purchase  from  the  previous 

lessee  the  rolling  stock  and  other  personal  property  at  its  fair  valuation,  to  be 

determined  by  arbitration. 

"Resolved,  That  proper  safeguards  and  conditions  ought  to  be  provided  bv  CONTROL 

'    OF  SYSTEM 

appropriate  legislation  in  reference  to  the  issue  of  the  city  bonds  and  the  con- 
struction and  operation  of  the  rapid  transit  system,  under  the  general  super- 
vision of  a  board  of  engineers,  so  as  to  insure  economy  of  cost  and  adequate 


69 


RAPID  TRANSIT 


accommodations  for  the  ])ul)lic  use,  and  that  the  committee  be  continued,  with 
power  to  add  to  their  number,  to  confer  and  co-operate  with  the  authorities  of 
the  city,  in  reference  to  the  oeneral  i)lan  and  the  needed  legislation." 

]\Ir.  Hewitt  said  also  that  he  had  had  ()i)]M:)rtunities  to  take  the  opinions  of 
the  best  engineers  and  most  com])etent  authorities  U])on  the  subject  of  rapid 
transit,  and  that  he  had  never  known  anyone  who  had  studied  the  question  to 
reach  any  other  conclusion  than  that  the  system  must  be  of  an  undcl-ground 
character;  that  a  svstem  upon  masonry  arches,  like  Berlin,  would  be  enor- 
mously exjiensive  and  an  injury  to  the  general  aspect  of  the  city  ;  and  that  the 
im|)rovemcnts  made  during  the  last  six  years  in  regard  to  lighting,  ventilation 
and  motive  power  have  removed  objections  that  formerly  held  good  concern- 
ing underground  roads.    Continuing,  he  said : 

MUST  BE  AN         ".Conceding',  then,  that  we  nuist  have  a  new  system,  and  that  it  must  be  an 
UNDER-  underground  system,  the  question  comes  as  to  how  its  construction  can  be 
'^'^ROAD  There  are  only  three  methods:   either  by  ])rivate  capital,  or  by  an 

association  of  private  capital  with  the  city,  or  by  the  city  itself.  Those  are  the 
three  alternatives. 

"The  method  of  construction  by  private  capital  was  the  one  arrived  at  by 
the  Rapid  Transit  Commission,  and  I  wish  to  say,  in  justice  to  that  Commission, 
that  they  gave  a  most  exhaustive  and  intelligent  examination  to  the  whole 
question,  and  I  have  no  doubt  they  conceded,  in  the  plan  which  they  devised 
and  which  was  offered  at  public  auction  to  the  bidders,  all  that  they  thought  the 
public  would  grant  in  the  way  of  immunity  from  taxation  and  privileges  to  use 
the  streets.  As  you  know,  that  plan  failed.  There  was  no  bidder.  I  think  that 
fact  demonstrates  the  conclusion  that  it  is  idle  to  expect  that  private  capital, 
unassisted  in  the  same  way,  wdll  undertake  the  construction  of  this  very  impor- 
tant and  ver\-  expensive  work." 

Mr.  Hewitt  explained  that  the  second  method — by  association  of  private 
capital  with  the  city — would  require  a  change  in  the  Constitution  of  the  State, 
and  that  the  safeguards  now  thrown  around  the  lending  of  the  credit  of  munici- 
palities of  the  state  were  none  too  strong.  Any  proposition  looking  to  a  change 
should  be  most  carefully  considered.  In  the  present  case  it  should  first  be  shown 
that  the  w'ork  could  not  be  done  in  any  other  way.    He  continued: 


70 


I 


CIL\MIU:l<  OF  COMMIiRCE 

"The  advocates  of  this  proposition  liavc  made  no  demonstration,  and  they  CREDIT  OF 

THE  C IT Y 

cannot  make  the  demonstration;  for  the  very  simple  reason  that  if  this  work 

conld  be  secured  hy  the  use  of  (he  credit  of  the  city  of  New  York  to  the 

extent  of  two-tliirds  of  its  cost,  cert.-iinly  it  could  l)e  secured  I)y  the  use  of  the 

credit  of  the  city  of  New  York  to  the  extent  of  its  entire  cost ;  and  the  step  from 

two-thirds  to  three-thirds  is  a  very  small  one  indeed,  when  you  get  over  the  idea 

that  the  city's  credit  may  be  used.    It  is  a  very  small  one,  indeed,  in  reference  to 

the  fundamental  fact,  that  in  the  case  where  the  city's  credit  is  loaned  to  a 

private  corporation  the  work  becomes  the  private  property  of  that  corporation  ; 

whereas,  in  the  other  case,  by  the  advance  of  a  very  much  smaller  additional 

amount,  the  work  becomes  the  property  of  the  city,  subject  to  its  control  and 

management ;  and  if  it  be  profitable,  as  I  believe  it  will  be  at  the  end  of  thirty 

years,  then  the  gains  will  flow  into  the  city's  treasury  instead  of  into  the  treas- 

ur\  of  a  private  corporation. 

"It  has  been  objected  to  the  undertaking  of  this  work  by  the  city  and  on  ADMINISTRA- 
TION NOT  TO 

account  of  the  city  that  there  would  be  scandals  involved  in  the  expenditure  of  HANDS 
this  large  amount  of  money  by  the  city  authorities,  and  that  the  administration  of  OF  CITY 
such  a  work  by  the  city  authorities  after  it  was  constructed  would  result  in  an 
intolerable  abuse,  and  would  practically  turn  over  the  city  of  New  York  to  the 
politicians  and  their  followers.  This  objection  would  be  an  absolutely  conclu- 
sive one  to  my  mind,  and  I  suppose  to  the  mind  of  everybody  else,  if  it  were 
necessary  that  either  the  construction  or  administration  of  the  work  should 
reside  in  the  hands  of  the  city  ofificials.  There  is  no  such  necessity.  The  con- 
struction of  this  work,  and  its  administration  after  it  is  constructed,  can  be 
put  up  at  public  auction  to  the  highest  bidder,  upon  the  simple  condition  that 
the  bidder  shall  be  responsible ;  and,  secondly,  that  he  shall  pay  the  interest 
upon  the  city  bonds  and  give  reasonable  security  of  his  ability  to  do  so;  and, 
thirdly,  such  further  sum  as  in  competition  he  may  bid  in  addition  to  the  rate  of 
interest  upon  the  city  bonds.  This  mode  of  construction  insures  the  most  abso- 
lute economy.  That  is  to  say,  the  economy  of  a  private  owner  in  the  building  of 
the  work,  because  the  lessee  will  have  to  pay  a  rental  upon  the  cost  of  the  work, 
and  he  will  therefore  keep  the  cost  of  the  work  down  to  a  minimum.  In  regard  to 
the  administration  of  the  work,  it  will  be  conducted  just  as  other  railway  cor- 
porations are  conducted.  Competent  men  will  be  employed — not  politicians — 
because  the  lessee  will  find  that  his  profit  depends  upon  the  economy  with  which 
the  work  is  operated." 


71 


RAPID  TRANSIT 


Mr.  Hewitt  did  not  believe  that  the  road  should  be  operated  by  a  commis- 
sion in  b.ehalf  of  the  city.  He  cited  the  case  of  the  Croton  Aqueduct,  from 
which  groat  abuses  had  arisen,  and  added : 

NEITHER         "Witii  this  experience  before  us  I  do  think  that  we  ought  not  to  confide 

CONSTRUC-  (.jj^'n^^.^        construction  of  this  work  or  its  administration  to  any  commission.  I 
TION  NOR  ... 
ADMlNiSTRA-  think  the  only  path  of  safety  is  to  lease  it,  as  the  ferries  are  leased,  and  as  many 

TION  TO  BE  other  public  works  are  leased,  to  private  individuals,  but  keeping  sure  that  at 
CONFIDED    ,  ,     ,  ,  ,    „  ,       .  ,  . 

^  the  end  of  a  reasonable  term  the  property  shall  revert  to  the  city,  to  be  agam 

COMMISSION  leased,  either  at  lower  rates  of  fare,  which  will  contribute  enormously  to  the 

prosperity  and  growth  of  this  city,  and  to  the  advantage  of  its  working  classes,  or 

yielding  a  larger  revenue  to  the  city  treasury,  to  be  used  in  the  reduction  of  the 

rate  of  taxation. 

"You  will  see  from  what  I  have  said  that  I  am  in  favor,  therefore,  of  the 
use  of  the  city's  credit  for  the  construction  of  this  work." 

VIEWS  OF         John  H.  Inman,  a  member  of  the  Rapid  Transit  Commission  of  1891-4,  said : 
MR.  INMAN  regard  to  the  rapid  transit  scheme  proposed  by  Mr.  Hewitt,  there  is  no 

assurance  that  a  responsible  bid  by  a  responsible  corporation  will  be  made  to 
lease  and  operate  it  on  the  lines  indicated  by  him.  A  million  dollar  guarantee 
(the  amount  named  by  Mr.  Hewitt)  would  be  insufficient.  Of  course,  anyone 
who  had  a  million  dollars  would  be  willing  to  put  up  that  amount  for  the  oppor- 
tunity of  saying  at  the  end  of  five  years  (which  time  it  would  take  to  construct 
the  road)  whether  they  would  take  the  lease  or  forfeit  the  guarantee,  as  by  that 
time  (that  is  to  say,  after  the  road  was  constructed)  the  practicability  of  an 
vmderground  rapid  transit  system  would  be  demonstrated,  and  if  successful,  the 
parties  putting  up  the  million  dollars  would  have  a  great  big  thing  in  being  able  to 
control  this  system  and  its  earnings  for  thirty  years.  Whereas,  on  the  other 
hand,  if  for  any  reason  the  underground  system  should  be  a  failure,  the  party 
putting  up  the  money  risks  only  the  million  dollars,  while  the  city  must  stand 
the  real  loss.  *  *  *  j  ^m  very  much  in  favor  of  Mr.  Hewitt's  scheme,  and 
will  do  my  best  towards  carrying  it  out ;  but  it  is  in  the  air,  in  my  opinion.  I 
am  as  fond  of  Mr.  Hewitt  as  any  man  present,  but  I  must  say  that  I  do  not 
think  there  is  anything  tangible  about  his  scheme.  It  proposes  to  spend  $40,000.- 
000  to  $60,000,000  of  the  city's  money,  and  he  only  names  a  guarantee  of  a  mil- 
lion dollars  for  faithfully  executing  the  work,  and  for  guaranteeing  to  carry  out 


72 


Tim  CII.lMlilU<  Ol-  COMMI-.KCIi 


tlic  terms  of  the  lease  for  a  period  of  thirty  years,  whieh,  in  my  opinion,  is 
entirely  inadequate.    Upon  a  responsible  guarantee  I  would  say  go  ahead." 

Alexander  E.  Orr  said:    '  The  (]uestion  that  the  L'haniher  is  now  called  MR.  ORR'S 

^     1    ■  1    ■     •      1    .1  •      VI    11  .1    .  I  1  I    •  REMARKS 

upon  to  deeide  is  snii])l\  tins:   Shall  we  urge  that  a  smgle  exception  be  made  m 

behalf  of  rapid  transit  construetit)n,  to  an  admirable  law  (viz.,  that  which  for- 
bids any  city  in  this  State  lending  its  credit  to  promote  private  interests,)  so 
that  private  enterprise  may  be  stimidated  into  providing  for  a  great  public  need, 
or  shall  we  recommend,  irrespective  of  consequences,  a  strict  adherence  to  the 
statute?    That  is  the  (juestion. 

"I  am  free  to  say  that  I  shoidd  hold  the  same  opinion  that  I  did  when  we 
went  before  the  Board  of  Aldermen  and  advocated  the  building  of  our  rapid 
transit  system  by  the  city,  provided  we  had  men  at  the  helm  of  our  municipal 
afifairs  that  we  could  trust ;  but  as  that  is  not  now  the  case,  nor  is  there  any 
prospect  that  we  soon  shall  have,  I  could  not  and  I  would  not,  as  a  member  of 
this  committee,  jnit  myself  on  record  as  advising  the  Chamber  to  recommend 
that  the  city  should  build  this  much  needed  system  of  rapid  transit,  which,  as 
far  as  the  light  we  have  had  on  the  subject  leads  us  to  believe,  would  be  an 
expenditure  of  some  fifty  millions  of  dollars,  at  least,  to  be  controlled  by  the 
power  which  controls  the  municipal  government  of  the  city  of  New  York." 

On  motion  the  substitute  resolutions  offered  by  Mr.  Hewitt  were  adopted.  SUBSTITUTE 

The  President  of  the  Chamber,  Charles  Stewart  Smith,  and  Abram  S.  Hewitt  ^^^^^V^I,"^^^ 

'  '  ADOPTED 

were  added  to  the  committee. 

At  the  regular  monthly  meeting  of  the  Chamber  on  April  5  the  committee  on 
rapid  transit  submitted  a  copy  of  the  bill  which  it  had  prepared  and  caused  to  be 
introduced  into  the  legislature.  The  following  is  a  synopsis  of  the  bill  which 
was  drafted  by  Henry  R.  Beekman  : 

The  bill  provides  for  a  new  Board  of  Rapid  Transit  Commissioners,  con- 
sisting of  the  Mayor,  the  Comptroller,  the  President  of  the  Chamber  of  Com- 
merce, cx-ofRcio,  and  five  others  named  in  the  bill.  The  Board  mav  fill 
vacancies. 

Aside  from  this,  the  scheme  of  the  bill  is  to  extend  the  powers  of  the  BILL 

PREPARED 

Board  of  Rapid  Transit   Commissioners,  under  the  act  of   1891,  so  as  to  gy  jhe 
confer   upon  said   Board   the  right,   if  in   its   judgment   it   is   found   desir-  CHAMBER 
able,  of  providing  for  the  construction  and  operation  of  rapid  transit  roads  for 
and  on  account  of  the  city.    The  existing  powers,  therefore,  which  by  law  are 
now  vested  in  the  Board  of  Rapid  Transit  Commissioners  are  still  retained. 


73 


RAl'ID  TRANSIT 


OUTLINE  If  the  Board  shall  determine  that  it  is  expedient  that  a  rapid  transit  road 
OF  BILL  ^iid^id  1;,^  constructed  at  the  expense  of  the  city,  it  is  authorized  to  use  any 
I)lan  which  has  been  heretofore  adopted  by  the  old  rapid  transit  commissioners, 
and  which  has  received  the  constitutional  consent  of  the  legal  authorities  and 
the  property  owners,  or  of  the  General  Term  of  the  Supreme  Court,  in  case  the 
property  owners  shall  have  refused  their  consent ;  or  it  may  proceed  to  devise 
and  adopt  new  routes  and  })lans  which  must,  in  turn,  be  submitted  to  the  Com- 
mon Council  and  to  the  property  owners,  or  to  the  General  Term  of  the  Supreme 
Court,  for  the  rc(|uisitc  approvals. 

\Mien  the  plans  are  finally  adopted  and  consented  to,  the  I'oard  is  author- 
ized to  advertise  for  proposals  for  the  construction  and  ojjeration  of  the  road. 
Power  is  given  to  the  commissioners,  if  they  see  fit  to  do  so,  to  make  one  or 
several  contracts  for  the  construction  of  the  entire  system,  or  parts  of  a  system, 
of  rapid  transit.  The  commissioners  are  authorized  to  reject  all  the  bids  and 
re-advertise,  or  they  may  accept  any  bid  that,  in  their  judgment,  will  best  pro- 
mote the  public  interest. 
BIDDER  TO         The  successful  bidder  is  then  required  to  enter  into  a  contract  for  the  con- 

C  O  N  ST  R IJ  C  T 

struction  of  the  road,  and  also  to  equip,  maintain,  and  operate  the  same  for  a 
OPERATE  term  of  years  to  be  specified  in  the  contract,  not  less  than  thirty-five  nor  more 
ROAD  than  fifty  years. 

The  annual  rental  to  be  paid  by  the  contractor  to  the  city  must  be  an 
amount,  to  be  fixed  by  the  commissioners,  not  less  than  the  interest  on  the  bonds 
issued  by  the  city  to  pay  for  the  construction  of  the  road,  and  an  additional 
sum,  not  less  than  one  per  cent.,  upon  the  amount  of  said  bonds.  In  order  to 
secure  the  city,  the  contractor  is  required  to  enter  into  a  bond  with  sureties 
which  shall  be  satisfactory  to  the  commissioners.  He  is  also  required  to  make  a 
deposit  of  one  million  dollars  with  the  Comptroller  of  the  city,  which  sum  is  to  be 
repaid  to  him,  with  interest  at  the  same  rate  as  that  paid  by  the  city  upon  the 
bonds  issued  under  this  act,  as  soon  as  the  road  has  been  constructed,  equipped 
and  the  operation  of  the  same  commenced  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  Board. 
BONDS  TO  For  the  purpose  of  paying  the  cost  of  construction  the  city  is  authorized  to 
BE  ISSUED  issue  its  bonds,  principal  and  interest  payable  in  gold  coin,  to  an  amount  not 
exceeding  fifty  millions  of  dollars.  The  road  itself,  upon  being  constructed, 
im.mediately  becomes  the  property  of  the  city  for  which  it  is  constructed.  The 
rolling  stock  and  other  equipment  of  the  road  is  to  be  the  property  of  the  con- 
tractor, provided  by  him  at  his  own  expense. 


74 


As  a  substitute  for  the  security  of  one  millii  .i  dollars,  when  repaid,  the  RENEWAL 

...  ,     "  ,,•  11-  .     Ti  .      ,       OF  LEASE 

citv  IS  to  have  a  first  hen  upon  the  rolhnf^  stock  and  equipment,    rower  is  also 

t;ivcn  to  the  Hoard  to  enter  into  any  at^reenient  tliat  may  he  considered  wise  in 
reference  to  renewals  of  the  lease,  or  the  pm-chase  by  the  city  of  the  rolling 
stock  and  equipment  at  a  valuation,  if  the  lease  is  not  renewed,  and  the  prop- 
ertv  of  the  contractor,  embracing  his  interest  in  the  franchise  and  the  equip- 
ment of  the  road,  is  to  be  exempt  from  taxation. 

The  contract  is  also  to  provide  the  rates  of  fare  to  be  charged  and  the 
character  of  service  to  be  furnished.  The  rentals  received  are  to  be  paid  into 
the  sinking  fund  for  the  redemption  of  the  city  debt. 

Sections  39  to  63,  both  inclusive,  relate  exclusively  to  judicial  proceedings 
for  the  appointment  of  commissioners  of  appraisal  and  the  conduct  of  such  pro- 
ceedings, where  the  Board  of  Rapid  Transit  Commissioners  shall  find  it 
necessary  to  condemn  any  property  in  order  to  provide  for  the  construction  of 
such  road. 

The  bill  also  contains  a  provision  that  where  in  the  existing  law  a  vote  of 
four  members  of  the  lioard  is  recpiired,  the  luimber  shall  be  increased  to  six. 
This  is  in  effect  giving  the  same  veto  power  to  two  members  of  the  Board  that 
the  existing  law  now  provides  for ;  the  present  Board  consisting  of  five  persons, 
and  the  Board  provided  for  in  the  act  consisting  of  eight  persons. 

The  bill  also  terminates  the  offices  of  the  present  commissioners  of  rapid  OLD 

transit,  and  requires  them  to  transfer  and  deliver  to  the  new  Board  all  the  records,  .'^^'^^'^.f '5*^^ 
^  rO  DELIVER 

maps,  plans  and  other  property  relating  to  their  work.  Provision  is  also  made  RECORDS 
for  the  payment  of  the  expenses  and  compensation  of  the  out-going  commis-  '^^  NEW 
sioners.  This  was  considered  just.  It  was  necessary  to  make  provision  for  it  in 
the  act,  in  view  of  the  fact  that  the  payment  of  the  compensation  of  the  com- 
missioners under  the  present  law  is  dependent  upon  their  making  a  successful 
sale  of  a  franchise  for  rapid  transit,  which  has  not  yet  been  done.  Provision  is 
also  made  for  the  payment  of  the  expenses  of  the  new  Board  of  Rapid  Transit 
Commissioners,  and  also  a  reasonable  compensation  to  the  members  thereof,  other 
than  the  Mayor  and  Comptroller,  which  compensation  is  to  be  ascertained  and 
determined  in  the  manner  provided  for  in  the  existing  law ;  that  is,  by  the  Gen- 
eral Term  of  the  Supreme  Court,  but  it  is  to  be  paid  to  them  from  time  to  time. 

The  persons  named  in  the  bill  as  passed  were :  William  Steinway,  Seth  Low, 
John  Claflin,  Alexander  E.  Orr  and  John  H.  Starin. 

It  will  be  seen  fiom  the  foregoing  that  the  Chamber  of  Commerce  took  up 


75 


RAPID  TRANSIT 


the  discussion  of  rapid  transit  problems  at  its  meeting  on  February  i,  1894; 
that  a  sub-committee  was  appointed  to  examine  the  subject  and  report  what 
action  it  was  advisable  to  take;  that  this  committee  reported  at  the  adjourned 
meeting-  on  l"\'bruary  15;  that  at  a  mecUiii;',  held  on  .March  i,  resolu- 
tions ofifered  by  Mr.  Hewitt  were  adopted,  and  that  at  the  next  regular  meet- 
ing, April  5,  the  committee  reported  that  a  bill  had  been  prepared  and  caused  to 
be  introduced  into  the  Legislature.  The  bill  so  prepared  passed  the  Legislature 
and  was  signed  by  the  Governor  May  22,  1894. 
RESULTS  The  Chamber  of  Commerce  worked  two  months  upon  problems  that  had 
engaged  earnest  attention  for  a  quarter  of  a  century.  It  found  the  correct  solu- 
tion. That  it  did  so  was  due  to  the  clear  judgment  of  Mr.  Hewitt,  a  man  singu- 
larly well  equipped  both  as  a  successful  merchant  and  trained  in  the  affairs  of 
state.     The  Cliambcr  has  not  forgotten  the  man  or  his  service. 


ELEVATED   STRUCTURE — N.    Y.  SUBVVAV. 


76 


CHAPTER  X. 


ABRAM  STEVENS  HEWITT. 


On  tile  stli  of  April,  lyoo,  the  Chamber  of  Commerce  held  a  meetiiig^  at 
which  Alexander  E.  Orr,  President  of  the  Rapid  Transit  Connnission,  reported 
the  signing  of  the  contract  for  the  construction  of  the  subway. 

That  act  marked  the  beginning  of  the  end  of  an  undertaking  that  had  been 
vainly  attempted  for  a  period  of  twenty-five  years.  Just  six  years  before  (1894), 
the  Chamber  of  Commerce  had  discovered  the  key  to  the  solution  of  the  problem 
of  rapid  transit  with  municipal  ownership,  and  through  the  efforts  of  its  members 
had  prepared  the  way  leading  to  successful  achievement.  It  had  drawn  the  bill 
that  had  become  the  Rapid  Transit  Act  of  May,  1894,  and  under  that  law  the 
work  had  been  commenced  and  would  be  carried  to  final  completion.  After  giv- 
ing a  brief  history  of  the  efforts  made  to  secure  this  great  boon,  Mr.  Orr  said  the 
result  was  due  mainly  to  the  active  influence  of  the  Chamber  and  the  genius  and 
foresight  of  Abram  S.  Hewitt,  who  had  brought  to  the  task  a  wide  experience  in 
civic  affairs  and  an  intimate  knowledge  of  the  requirements  of  the  case. 

At  that  meeting  the  following  resolutions  were  adopted  : 

Resolved,    That  a  gold  medal*  be  struck  in  recognition  of  the  eminent  serv-  MEDAL  TO 
ices  of  the  Hon.  Abram  S.  Hewitt  in  the  cause  of  civic  rapid  transit  under  '^E^" 
municipal  ownership,  and  that  it  be  presented  to  him  by  the  President,  with  the 
assurances  of  the  admiration,  respect,  and  affectionate  regard  of  his  fellow  mem- 
bers of  the  Chamber  of  Commerce  of  the  State  of  New  York. 

Resolved,  That  a  committee  of  five  be  appointed  by  the  President,  of  whom 
the  President  shall  be  Chairman,  to  carry  out  the  provisions  of  the  foregoing 
resolution. 

The  committee  was  constituted  as  follows :  William  E.  Dodge,  Alexander  E. 
Orr,  Charles  S.  Smith,  Seth  Lovv',  and  the  President  as  chairman.    A  medal  was 

*  Following  the  frontispiece  is  an  engraving  of  this  medal. 


77 


I^.ll'll)  TR.IXSir 


dc-bignccl  uiulcr  the  dircclidu  of  ihc  conimiltcc  and  executed  by  (J.  Roly,  of 
Paris.    ]t  carried  the  following  inscription: 

Ingcnio  svo  vrbis  benefactor  ct  rei  pvblicE  conservator 
Abram  Stevens  Hewitt, 
Aetat  svae  LXXVIII 

Translated  this  reads : 

By  his  genius,  benefactor  of  the  City,  and  conservator  of  the  pub- 
lic property.     Age  78  years. 

On  the  obverse : 

The  Chamber  of  Coninierce  of  Slate  of  New  \'ork. 
Rapid  Transit, 
MDCCCC. 

At  the  monthly  meeting  of  the  Chamber  held  October  3,  1901,  the  medal 

was  formally  ])resente<l  to  Mr.  Hewitt  by  the  President. 

In  reply  Mr.  Hewitt  said  in  part: 

MR.  HEWITT'S  "The  present  honor  would,  i)erhaps,  have  been  deferred  until  the  conii)le- 

REMARKS 

tion  of  the  ra])id  transit  system,  with  whicii  this  occasion  will  im])erishably  link 
my  name.  Time,  however,  nioves  with  relentless  tread,  and  when  a  man  reaches 
his  eightieth  year,  it  may  well  be  su])posed,  as  doubtless  it  was  by  the  Chamber, 
that  whatever  recognition  it  desired  to  make  during  my  lifetime  should  be 
quickly  done.  I  regard  it,  and  mv  family  will  always  look  upon  it,  as  the  seal  of 
your  approbation  upon  my  public  career. 

"J  am  not  the  author  of  the  idea  of  rapid  transit  in  this  city.  It  is  an  old 
story,  but  the  circumstances  probably  ought  to  be  recalled  on  the  present  occa- 
sion, even  at  the  risk  of  being  somewhat  tedious,  in  order  that  your  records  may 
show'  how  it  has  come  to  pass  that  the  Chamber  of  Commerce  is  so  thoroughly 
identified  with  this  great  enterprise. 
•N.  Y.  CITY  "For  many  years  prior  to  my  election  as  Mayor  in  1886,  I  had  given  care- 

CENTRAL  £j^j  nieans  of  communication  in  the  citv  of  New  York,  and  had 

UNDER-  ■  _  _  _  ■ 

GROUND  CO.  t)een  connected  in  various  ways  with  the  changes  required  from  year  to  year 

since  1850,  when  I  was  concerned  in  the  manufacture  of  the  first  tram  rails  for 

street  railroads  in  this  countrv.    For  a  time  the  demand  for  increased  move- 


78 


MARBLK    STATUE    BY    VVM.     COUPER    IN    CHAMBER    OF  COMMERCE. 


RAPID  TRANSIT 


nicnt  of  passengers  was  met  by  the  construction  of  these  traniroads  on  the  lead- 
ing avenues  of  the  city.  The  growth  of  business,  however,  made  it  apparent  that 
some  better  mode  of  transit  should  be  devised  in  the  near  fuluie;  and  at  vari- 
ous times  i)ropositions  were  made  for  building  railways  overhead  and  under- 
neath the  surface  of  the  streets.  In  1868  the  legislature  granted  a  charter  to 
the  New  York  City  Central  Underground  Company,  with  ample  powers  as  to 
route,  capital,  and  facilities  for  construction.  Under  this  charter,  however,  it 
was  found  im])ossible  to  raise  the  money  recpiircd  for  the  construction  of 
the  road. 

N.  Y.  CITY         "fn  1872,  therefore,  the  legislature  incorporated  the  New  York  City  Rapid 

RAPID  '1' git  Companv,  authorizing  Cornelius  X'anderbilt  and  his  associates  to  con- 
TRANSIT  CO.  1      .  ft 

struct  and  operate  an  underground  railwav,  which  would  have  connected  the 

City  Hall  with  the  (Irand  C\'nlral  .Station.  This  corporation  was  duly  organized, 
and  the  necessary  surveys  and  plans  were  made  for  the  construction  of  the  rail- 
road. Unfortunately,  however,  the  criticism  which  this  grant  produced  in  the 
newspapers  and  elsewhere  brought  Commodore  Vanderbilt  to  the  conclusion 
that  he  would  not  construct  the  proposed  undergroimd  railway,  and  to  this  decis- 
ion the  members  of  his  family,  who  succeeded  in  the  management  of  the  New 
York  Central  Railway,  uniformly  adhered,  although  they,  as  well  as  he,  always 
insisted  that  the  extension  at  that  time  ought  to  have  been  inade,  and  would 
probably  be  profitable,  at  least  to  the  New  York  Central  Railroad. 
OTHER         ''Various  other  grants  were  made  by  the  legislature.    It  was  found,  how- 

LEGISLATIVE   gy^j-,  that  capital  could  not  be  secured  bv  any  of  these  companies,  and  hence  the 
GRANTS  .  .  ' 

undertakings  were  practically  abandoned  as  early  as  1875.  In  that  year  what  is 
known  as  the  Rapid  Transit  Act  was  adopted,  under  which  the  elevated  railroads 
were  constructed.  The  completion  of  these  railroads  relieved  the  congestion  of 
travel  to  such  an  extent  that  no  substantial  complaint  existed  until  about  the 
year  1884,  when  the  pressure  for  an  underground  railroad  system  reappeared, 
and  the  subject  occupied  much  public  attention  and  very  general  discussion, 
which  I  followed  with  great  interest.  It  was  evident  to  me  that  underground 
rapid  transit  could  not  be  secured  by  the  investment  of  private  capital,  but  in 
some  way  or  other  its  construction  was  dependent  upon  the  use  of  the  credit  of 
the  city  of  New  York.  It  was  also  apparent  to  me  that  if  such  credit  were 
used,  the  property  must  belong  to  the  city.  Inasmuch  as  it  would  not  be  safe 
for  the  city  to  undertake  the  construction  itself,  the  intervention  of  a  contract- 
ing company  appeared  to  be  indispensable.    To  secure  the  city  against  loss,  this 

80 


AliK.lM  S.  111:11  ITT 


company  must  ucccssariU-  he  rc(|uirril  to  ^ive  a  sufTicirnt  hoinl  fur  ll.c  comple- 
tion of  tin.'  work,  ami  he  uillinL;-  to  enter  into  a  eontraet  for  its  eontiiuu'd  opera- 
tion under  a  rental  which  would  pay  the  interest  upon  ihe  Ix^nds  issued  hy  tiie 
citv  for  the  constructit)n,  and  provide  a  sinkint;-  fund  snUieient  for  the  pay- 
ment of  the  bonds  at  or  before  maturity.  It  also  seemed  to  be  indispensable  that 
the  leasing  company  should  invest,  in  the  rollmg  stock  and  in  the  real  estate 
required  for  its  power  houses  and  other  buildings,  an  amount  of  money  sufifi- 
ciently  large  to  indemnify  the  city  against  loss  in  case  the  lessees  should  fail  in 
their  undertaking  to  build  and  operate  the  railroad. 

"These  views  were  communicated  to  the  Common  Council  in  the  Mayor's  MAYOR'S 
message  of  January,  1888.    They  did  not  receive  the  approval  of  the  Common  of^i^Ss"^ 
Council.    In  this  communication  it  was  suggested  that  the  New  York  Central 
Railroad  Company  might  be  induced  to  vmdertake  the  construction  and  opera- 
tion of  the  underground  road.    On  consultation  with  the  officers  of  that  com- 
pany I  found  that  their  co-operation  could  not  be  secured.    Hence  in  drawing 
the  act,  which  was  submitted  to  the  legislature,  it  was  made  general  in  its  ^ 
character,  and  provision  was  made  for  competition  on  the  part  of  any  and  all  CENTRAL 

responsible  individuals  or  corporations  who  might  be  disposed  to  undertake  the 

^  ...  INTERESTED 

work.    The  act  thus  drawn  was  submitted  to  the  legislature  in  1888.  The 

prejudice  against  the  scheme  was  so  great,  however,  that  it  was  difficult  to  find 
any  member  of  the  legislature  who  would  be  responsible  for  the  introduc- 
tion of  a  bill,  which  was  opposed,  not  only  by  the  Common  Council  of  the  city, 
but  by  the  political  organization  which  controlled  the  politics  of  the  city. 

"The  Mayor  appeared,  however,  before  the  committee  of  the  legislature 
and  made  a  very  elaborate  argument  as  to  the  necessity  for  increased'  rapid  transit 
facilities,  and  of  the  mode  under  which  he  proposed  to  secure  them  at  an  early 
date.  The  committee  declined  to  report  the  bill  back  to  the  Senate,  and  so  far  as 
the  session  of  1888  was  concerned  the  proposition  entirely  failed. 

"Nothing  further  was  done  in  this  business  until  1891,  when  the  pressure  of  rapid 

travel  had  become  so  excessive  that  some  action  was  demanded  bv  public  opin-  TRANSIT 

COMMISSION 

ion.    The  result  was  the  passage  of  Chapter  4  of  the  Laws  of  189 1,  under  which  Qp  1391 
the  Rapid  Transit  Commission  of  that  year  was  appointed,  and  in  October,  1891, 
reported  a  plan  of  rapid  transit,  mostly  underground,  which,  in  accordance  with 
the  provisions  of  the  statute,  was  approved  by  the  Board  of  Aldermen,  by  the 

81 


RAPID  TRANSIT 


Department  of  Public  Parks,  by  tlie  Commissioner  of  Street  Improvements  of 
the  Twenty-third  and  Twenty-fourth  Wards,  and  by  the  .Su];renie  Court. 

"Bids  were  then  inxited  for  the  construction  of  this  work  l)y  private  cai)i- 
tal,  as  recpiired  by  the  |)rovisions  of  the  Act  of  1891.    'hlie  attempt  tlms  to  secure 
'  the  construction  of  the  hue  failed  for  want  of  responsible  bidders,  and  the  whole 

scheme  was  practically  al)andoncd." 

Mr.  llewitt  then  brielly  outlined  the  wo:k  of  the  Chamber  that  led  to  the 

passage  of  the  Act  of  1894,  under  the  provisions  of  which  the  present  Rapid 

'i'ransit  Commission  was  organized.    The  only  amendment  of  any  nnportance 

made  in  the  legislature  was  that  which  required  a  referendum  to  the  ])eople. 

The  addrt'ss  then  continued  : 

RAPID  "It  is  by  no  means  certain  that  the  contracting  coni])any  will,  for  a  con- 

TRANSIT  si,](^.,-;il)ie  time,  be  able  to  realize  anv  profit  from  the  operations  of  the  railroad, 
SYSTEM 

altlunigh  the  outlook  is  now  nmch  more  favorable  than  at  the  lime  when  the 

contract  was  made.     The  estimate  of  the  profit  which  was  to  be  made  by  the 

contractors  out  of  the  enterprise  was  purely  conjectural,  but  it  is  generally 

agreed  by  competent  men  familiar  with  great  public  works  that  the  terms  of 

the  contract  are  unusually  favorable  to  the  city.    One  thing  is  certain  :  that  the 

rapid  transit  system  ado])ted  by  the  Commission  will  be  fully  com])lete(l  and 

put  in  operation  without  involving  any  additional  taxation  whatever,  and  at  the 

end  of  fifty  years  it  will  be  the  absolutely  unencumbered  property  of  the  cit\  . 

Compared  with  other  enterprises  ' in  other  cities,  it  must  be  conceded  that  the 

arrangement  made  for  the  construction  of  this  work  is  the  most  favorable  that 

has  ever  been  devised  or  accomplished. 

RESULTS         "In  achieving  this  result  the  Chamber  of  Commerce  has  been  the  ])rime 

mover,  and  I  thmk  it  is  not  too  nnich  to  sav  that  in  the  future  its  successful  inter- 
CHAMBER  OF  .  "... 

COMMERCE  vention  will  be  regarded  as  one  of  the  most  creditable  achievements  in  its  long 

and  honorable  history,  identified,  as  it  was  and  is,  with  the  construction  of  the 
Erie  Canal  and  of  the  great  s}'stem  of  water  supply  which  has  made  it  possible 
for  more  than  three  millions  of  people  to  dwell  together  in  health  and  comfort. 

"If  by  the  continued  efYorts  of  the  Chamber  of  Commerce  we  can  secure  a 
municipal  government  which  will  enable  great  public  works  to  be  undertaken 
and  carried  to  completion  with  the  same  economy  and  honesty  as  have  char- 
acterized the  execution  of  the  Erie  Canal,  the  Croton  Water  Works,  and  the 
Rapid  Transit  System,  no  reasonable  limits  can  be  assigned  to  the  futu.re 
growth  of  this  city  in  prosperity  and  grandeur. 


82 


.IHN.IM  S.  111:11  NT 


"Tn  conclusion  I  take  this  occasion  to  thank  the  members  of  the  Chamber 
for  tin  confidence  which  thev  have  uniformly  manifested  in  my  efforts  to  serve 
tlij  puhHc.  and  1  am  particnlarlx  i^ratefiil  lo  Mr.  Alexander  I'..  <  )rr.  Mr.  (  liarles 
Stewait  Smith  and  Mr.  W  illiam  !•",.  l)od;;e  for  the  t^racious  remarks  which  they 
were  good  enough  to  make  at  the  time  when  the  Chamber  voted  to  bestow  upon 
me  this  medal.  It  will  be  treasured  by  my  children  as  the  most  precious  posses- 
sion which  will  descend  to  them,  and  be  regarded  by  them,  as  it  is  by  me,  as  the 
crowning  honor  of  a  long  career,  which,  by  the  action  of  the  Chamber  of  Com- 
merce, is  brought  to  a  happy  ending." 

The  Chamber  of  Commerce  ha^■ing  so  honored  Mr.  Hewitt  in  the  clf)sing  STATUE  OF 
days  of  his  long  and  useful  career,  did  not  forget  him  when  less  than  fifteen 
months  later  he  passed  to  the  greater  reward  which  lies  beyond  the  grave.  At 
he  meeting  following  his  death  the  Chamber  directed  that  a  statue  of  him 
should  be  made  and  jilaced  in  the  corridor  near  the  north  end  of  its  assembly 
chamber.  It  is  the  first  tiriie  in  its  long  history  that  such  an  honor  has  been  ren- 
dered to  any  member  of  the  body.  It  will  be  long  before  a  like  honor  can  be  .so 
appropriately  awarded  to  any  other  member. 

This  statue  was  unveiled  at  a  special  meeting  on  the  nth  of  May.  1005. 
The  address  made  at  that  time  before  the  Chamber  l)y  Charles  Stewart 
Smith,  in  the  presence  of  Mr.  Hewitt's  widow  and  other  members  of  his  family, 
was  an  impressive  and  afifectionate  tribute  to  his  character,  his  intellectu.al 
endowments,  and  his  services  to  the  city,  the  State,  and  the  nation.  The  statue 
will  give  evidence,  so  long  as  the  Chamber  lasts,  that  whether  or  no  it  is  true 
that  republics  are  ungrateful,  the  Chamber  of  Commerce  seeks  to  cultivate  the 
highest  ideals  of  citizenship  by  generous  recognition  of  those  of  its  members 
who  have  best  illustrated  such  ideals. 


8.? 


CHAPTER  XI. 


COMMISSION  OF  1894. 


PERSONNEL         The  Act  of  1894  was  signed  by  Governor  Flower  on  May  22,  of  that  year. 

^^^..P.oc-I^tt  substituted  a  new  rapid  transit  commission  for  that  created  by  the  Act  of 
COMMISSION  ' 

i8<)i,  and  provided  that  it  should  be  composed  of  the  Mayor,  Comptroller  and 
the  President  of  the  Chamber  of  Commerce,  and  of  William  Steinway,  Seth 
Low,  John  ClaHin,  .Mexandcr  E.  Orr,  and  John  II.  .Starin.  While  it  left 
unmodified  the  provisions  of  the  Act  of  1891,  authorizing  the  Board  to  grant 
additional  franchises  to  existing  railroads,  it  provided  that  the  Board  should 
either  adopt  the  plans  prepared  by  the  preceding  Board,  or  adopt  new  plans  and 
obtain  the  consents  of  the  local  authorities  and  of  the  property  holders,  or  the 
substituted  consent  of  the  Supreme  Court.  It  recjuircd  that,  after  cither  re-adopt- 
ing the  old  plans  or  making  new  ones  and  obtaining  the  consents,  the  Board  at 
the  next  general  election  should  submit  to  the  qualified  electors  of  the  city  "the 
question  whether  such  railway  or  railways  shall  be  constructed  by  the  city  and  at 
the  public  expense."  The  act  provided  that  if  such  question  were  decided  in 
the  negative  at  the  election,  the  Board  should  proceed  to  sell  the  franchise  to 
construct  and  operate  such  railroad  to  some  private  corporation  as  prescribed  by 
the  Act  of  1 89 1. 

POPULAR         The  vital  portions  of  the  law  depended  upon  the  vote  being  cast  in  favor  of 

VOTE  TO  iDunicipal  construction  of  the  road.    The  new  provisions  were  to  the  efifect  that  if 
BE  TAKEN 

the  question  were  determined  in  the  affirmative  at  the  election,  the  rapid  transit 
railroad  should  be  constructed  at  the  public  expense,  and  should  be  and  remain 
the  absolute  property  of  the  city,  and  that  the  Rapid  Transit  Commission  should 
either  provide  for  the  construction  of  the  railroad  according  to  the  routes,  plans, 
and  specifications  adopted  prior  to  the  election,  or  "should  change  and  modify 
the  said  routes,  plans,  and  specifications'"  or  adopt  other  and  new  routes,  plans, 
and  specifications,  as  they  might  see  fit. 
CONTRAC-  The  act  further  provided  that,  after  establishing  the  routes  and  plans  for 
the  railroad  and  obtaining  the  consents,  the  Board  should,  after  advertising  for 


TOR'S 
OBLIGATION 


84 


Copyright,  1904,  by  Alman  &  Co.,  N.  Y. 
MORRIS  K.  JESUP. 


R.iriU  TRANSIT 


proposals,  enter  into  a  contract  with  some  person,  firm,  or  corporation  for  the 
construction  of  the  road  for  tlie  city  and  at  its  expense.  The  contractor  was  to  be 
re(]uired  to  operate  the  road,  as  the  lessee  of  the  city,  for  a  term  of  not  less  than 
thirty-five  nor  more  than  fifty  years,  to  be  specified  in  tlie  contract,  at  an  annual 
rental  sufificient  to  pay  the  interest  upon  the  bonds  to  be  issued  by  the  city  to 
raise  the  money  necessary  to  build  the  road,  and  one  per  cent,  in  addition  thereto. 
•  The  equii)ment  was  to  be  supplied  by  the  contractor  at  his  own  expense.  As 
security-  for  the  jK-rformance  of  the  entire  contract,  the  contractor  was  to  fur- 
nish a  bond  to  the  city  in  an  amount  to  I)e  determined  l)y  the  lioard;  tlie  city 
was  to  have  a  lien  upon  the  equipment  furnished  by  the  contractor ;  and  the  con- 
tractor was  also  to  deposit  the  sum  of  $1,000,000  with  the  Comptroller,  which 
was,  however,  to  be  returned  when  the  railroad  was  constructed  and  equipped. 
The  details  of  construction  and  ojjeration  were  left  to  the  discretion  of  the  l)Oard, 
with  the  injunction  that  such  matters  should  be  provided  for  in  the  contract. 
The  Board  was  also  to  supervise  the  construction  and  operation  of  the  road. 
The  equipment  of  the  road  was  to  be  exempted  from  taxation. 

The  city  was  to  issue  its  bonds  to  raise  the  funds  necessary  for  the  enter- 
prise, but  the  total  issue  should  not  exceed  $50,000,000. 
ORGANIZA-         T'^^'  Rapid  Transit  Commission  held  its  first  meeting'  June  8,  1894, 

and  organized  by  the  election  of  Alexander  E.  Urr  as  president.  At  the  same 
meeting  Mr.  Orr,  who  had  been  elected  President  of  the  Chamber  of  Commerce, 
and  had  thus  become  an  cx-offjcio  member  of  the  Board,  as  well  as  being 
named  by  the  statute  an  individual  member  thereof,  resigned  the  individual 
appointment,  and  John  II.  Inman  was  elected  to  fill  the  vacancy  thereby  created. 
Subsequen.tly  Air.  Starin  was  elected  vice-president.  W  in.  Barclay  Parsons  was 
appointed  chief  engineer,  and  Henry  R.  Beekman  and  Albert  B.  Boardman 
counsel. 

The  Board  soon  became  convinced  that  several  sections  of  the  Act  of  1894 
required  amendment,  partly  to  eliminate  certain  provisions  which  were  not  in 
the  original  draft  as  prepared  by  the  committee  of  the  Chamber  of  Commerce, 
and  partly  to  provide  for  various  contingencies  which  had  not  been  foreseen 
when  the  bill  was  prepared,  including  the  plan  to  build  pipe  galleries  along  a 
portion  of  the  route. 

AMENDMENTS         The  amended  statute  w-as  passed  in  1895.    It  provided  that  the  city  should 
TO  ACT  e^j^^ing^iish  all  easements  of  abutting  property  holders  that  might  be  afifected  by 
the  construction  of  the  road,  thus  guaranteeing  the  contractor  against  the  class  of 


TION  OF 
COMMISSION 


86 


COMMISSION  or 


litigation  wliicli  liatl  proved  so  serious  to  the  elevated  railroads,  and  autlujrized 
the  city  to  exi)end  the  additional  sum  of  $5,000,000  for  that  purpose. 

The  Hoard  could  permit  the  contractor  to  ])(isli):inr  tlie  construclion  of  any 
part  of  the  railroatl  as  planned  until  such  lime  as.  in  the  judgment  of  llu-  Hoard, 
the  interest  of  the  city  demanded. 

A  vote  of  six  members  of  the  iioard  was  sufficient  for  the  granting  of  addi- 
tional franchises  to  existing  railroads ;  the  former  act  required  a  unanimous 
vote.  Ilut  the  act  provided  that  any  such  gr:int  should  re(|uire  the  cor])oration 
receiving  it  to  makci  proper  compensation  to  the  city,  and  that  such  compensa- 
tion should  be  subject  to  re-adjustment  at  the  expiration  of  successive  periods  to 
be  fixed  by  the  Board,  none  of  which  should  exceed  35  years. 

After  careful  consideration  of  the  situation  the  Board  decided  that  an  efYec-  PEOPLE  VOTE 

tive  solution  of  the  rai)id  transit  problem  could  only  be  obtained  bv  the  con- 

'  '  •  .        IPAL  GON- 

struction  of  underground  railways ;  and  that  the  routes  and  plans  adopted  by  STRUCTION 
the  former  Commission  were  not  satisfactory  if  the  railroad  was  to  be  con- 
structed by  the  city  within  the  limit  of  cost  prescribed  by  the  statute.  But  it  was 
found  that,  under  the  statute,  the  cpiestion  of  municipal  construction  could  not  be 
submitted  to  popular  vote  until  after  the  Board  had  either  re-adopted  the  routes 
and  plans  of  the  former  Commission,  or  had  adopted  new  routes  and  plans  and 
procured  the  necessary  consents.  The  latter  method  would  have  taken  so  much 
time  that  it  would  have  been  impossible  to  have  submitted  the  question  to  vote  at 
the  general  election  in  the  fall  of  1894.  The  Board  learned,  however,  that  it 
could  provisionally  re-adopt  the  routes  and  plans  of  its  predecessors  and,  if  the 
vote  proved  favorable  to  municipal  construction,  could  alter  the  plans  or  adopt 
entirely  new  ones.  Before  the  election  the  Board  issued  a  statement  explain- 
ing the  situation  and  announcing  their  intention,  in  case  of  an  affirmative  deci- 
sion, to  consider  the  question  of  routes  and  plans  dc  novo.  The  result  of  the 
election  showed  an  overwhelming  majority  in  favor  of  municipal  construction. 

The  Board  discussed  early  the  advisability  of  adopting  the  Elm  street  ELM  STREET 

ROUTE 

route,  but  the  general  opinion  of  the  members  was  that  the  commercial  advan- 
tages of  a  line  under  Broadway  would  more  than  offset  the  difficulties  and 
expense  of  building  a  road  beneath  its  surface.  It  was  felt  that  the  cost  of  con- 
struction on  the  Broadway  route  would  be  less  then  than  at  any  future  time, 
and  that,  sooner  or  later,  a  Broadway  line  must  be  provided..  Therefore  the 
route  adopted  by  the  former  Board  w^as  thought  to  be  the  best,  provided  a  branch 
could  be  selected  in  extension  of  the  East-Side  line  to  the  north,  as  a  substitute 


87 


RAPID  TRANSIT 


for  the  Madison  avenue  line  recommended  by  the  earher  Commission,  which  liad 
been  rendered  unavailable  by  the  Act  of  1892.  It  was  thought  that  it  would  be 
possible  to  extend  the  Fourth  avenue  route  north  from  l-'ortieth  street  under 
the  Grand  Central  Station,  and  under  l''(nuth  avenue  to  N'incty-scvcnth  street, 
where  it  would  become  an  elevated  structure  to  be  erected  on  either  side  of  the 
Harlem  railroad  and  then  to  and  across  the  Harlem  River. 
PRELIMINARY  Concerning  the  nature  of  construction,  the  Board  believed  that  the  plans 
ado])ted  by  the  former  Commission  were  wise ;  except  that  it  w^as  desirable  to 
increase  the  width  of  the  road  as  a  measure  of  safety,  and  to  omit  the  rcc|uire- 
ment  that  the  work  under  Broadway  should  be  done  without  disturbing  the 
surface.  This  preliminary  study  included  the  making  of  maps  showing  all  the 
underground  pipes  and  conduits,  and  the  foundations  and  vaults  of  all  the  build- 
ings along  the  proposed  routes.  In  addition  a  thorough  examination  of  the  sub- 
soil was  made. 

PIPE         The  Board  came  to  the  conclusion  that  it  would  be  advisable  to  construct 

GALLERIES 

pipe  galleries  on  either  side  of  the  road  along  certain  sections.  While  it  was 
known  that  these  would  encroach  upon  private  vaults  and  would  add  materially  to 
the  cost,  the  opinion  was  held  that,  as  there  must  be  a  costly  re-location  of  the 
pipes,  it  would  be  wiser  and  less  expensive  in  the  end  to  construct  such  gal- 
leries as  a  part  of  the  general  plan. 
BOARD  OF  In  forming  a  tentative  plan  the  Board  was  not  unmindful  of  the  necessity  of 
keeping  the  cost  within  the  prescribed  limit,  and,  in  order  to  be  certain  upon 
this  point,  the  plans  were  submitted  to  a  committee  of  experts  composed  of 
Abram  S.  Hewitt,  Thomas  C.  Clarke,  Charles  Sooysmith,  Octave  Chanute,  and 
Prof.  William  H.  Burr.  The  report  approved  the  estimates  of  the  engineer  that 
the  construction,  if  carried  to  the  city  line  on  both  the  East  and  West  Sides,  would 
cost  $50,000,000.  It  also  approved  the  suggestion  of  the  chief  engineer  that  the 
subway  should  be  widened  from  the  plans  of  the  previous  Commission  from  44 
to  50  feet  for  a  four-track  road,  and  it  also  was  of  the  opinion  that  a  separa- 
tion on  Broadway  of  the  local  and  e.xpress  lines  was  practicable  and  wise. 

In  answer  to  the  question  as  to  whether  any  better  solution  of  the  problem 
than  had  been  already  brought  forward  could  be  suggested,  the  board  of  experts 
advised  a  change  in  the  route  by  substituting  Elm  street,  Lafayette  Place  and 
Fourth  avenue  as  the  route  between  City  Hall  Park  and  Fourteenth  street.  The 
board  of  experts  also  recommended  the  construction  of  four  tracks  under  Fourth 
avenue  to  and  under  the  Grand  Central  Station,  and  thence  under  Madison 


ENGINEERS 


88 


JOHN  CLAFLIN. 


RAl'lD  TRANSIT 

avenue  to  Ninety-scventli  street.  Other  clianj^es  of  less  ini])ortancc  were  also 
suggested. 

ROUTES  The  Commission  was  now  calkd  uimn  to  clioose  between  the  i'.roadway  and 
l^lm  street  routes.  As  has  been  already  e\])laine(l,  all  (jf  the  former  Commissions 
and  all  of  the  private  companies  favored  the  former  route,  all  holding  the  o])in- 
ion  that  the  engineering  difficulties  and  increased  cost  were  more  than  compen- 
sated for  by  the  su])erior  advantages  of  that  location.  This  was  not  the  first 
lime  the  I'dm  street  line  had  been  advocated,  but  it  was  the  first  tinu'  it  had  come 
before  a  ra|)id  transit  commission  fcjr  serious  consideration. 

BROADWAY  At  that  time  the  ])lan  to  widen  V.hn  street  seemed  doomed  to  indetinite  delay. 

ROUTE 

It  was,  therefore,  thought  best  to  ado])t  the  liroadway  route.  This  began  at  a 
loo])  at  the  liatlery,  ])assed  under  llroadwav  to  I'ifty-ninth  street;  thence  under 
the  lioulevard  to  (  )ne-hun(lred-and-lwenty-fomih  street;  thence  by  viaduct  to 
(  )ne-hundred-an(l-thirty-fourth  street  ;  and  thence  under  the  I  boulevard  and 
I'deventh  avenue  to  ( )ne-hun(lred-and-eighty-fifth  street.  Also  a  loo])  at  City 
Hall  and  a  coimection  with  the  IJrooklyn  liridge.  A  second  line  diverged  from 
the  other  at  Fourteenth  street  and  ran  under  l-'ourlh  ;uid  I 'ark  avenues  to  Xinety- 
eighth  street;  thence  by  viaduct  across  the  Harlem  (  bv  bridge),  to  (  )ne-hun- 
dred-and-fort\ -sixth  street.  There  were  to  be  four  tracks  from  Broadway  and 
I'ark  place  to  ( )ne-hundred-and-thirty-fifth  street  on  the  West  Side;  and  four 
tracks  on  the  Mast  Side  from  Cnion  Square  to  the  Grand  Central  Station.  Else- 
where there  were  to  be  two  tracks.  All  tracks  were  to  be  on  the  same  level  and  of 
star.dard  gauge.  I-lach  track  was  to  be  allowed  \2\  feet  in  width. 
TUNNEL  The  entiie  line  was  to  be  in  tunnel,  with  the  exception  of  the  viaduct  on  the 

ISoulevard  from  One-hundred-and-twenty-fourth  to  One-hundred-and-thirty- 
fourth  streets,  and  the  east  side  line  from  Ninety-eighth  street  northward. 
Xorth  of  the  Crand  Central  .St;ition  there  were  to  be  two  separate  tunnels  along 
I'ourth  avenue  as  far  as  Ninety-sixth  street.  The  Harlem  was  to  be  crossed  by  a 
doui)le-track  drawbridge. 
BROADWAY  One  of  the  most  interesting  and  im])ortant  legal  contests  in  the  history  of 

ROUTE  NOT  {|-[p  Commission  occurred  in  1805.  The  importance  of  the  decision  of  the  court 
ALLOWED  BY  .  .  ,  ,  . 

COURT  ^^''^  '^'^  apj^reciated  trom  the  statement  that  it  compelled  the  Commission  to 

change  the  route  from  Broadway  to  Elm  street.  The  consent  of  the  local  authori- 
ties to  the  construction  and  operation  of  the  road  along  the  lines  just  mentioned 
had  been  obtained ;  but  it  was  found  impossible  to  get  the  consent  of  the  prop- 
ertv  owners,  and  therefore  the  substituted  consent  of  the  Supreme  Court  became 


90 


C().\IMI.SSI()\  jS(ji 


imperative  tinder  llie  terms  of  the  statute.  Tlie  ("i)urt  refused  to  consider  the 
questiiin  at  all.  and  mtt'rid  an  order  to  that  elTeet  in  (  )et()i)er,  ii^<)S-  I  "his  order 
was  reversed  hy  the  Court  of  Aiijieals.  ami  tlie  Su])reme  ('ourt  was  directed  to 
cousidrr  llie  .'i|)])Iieation  upon  iis  nn-|-ils.  'i  he  latter  C  ourt  tlu  n  a])poiiitcd  h'red- 
eric  I\.  Ctnidert,  ( leori^e  .Sherman,  and  W'illiaiii  II.  (  ielsheiu-n  (  onunissioners  to 
take  testimony  and  report  whether  the  road  should  he  huilt.  'i'he  testimony  was 
exceedingly  thorough,  covering  ever)'  possihle  asi)eet  of  the  ([Uestion. 

In  IMarch.   i8(j6,  the  Commission!  appointed  by  the  Court  unanimously 
reported  that  the  road  ought  to  he  huilt. 

Two  months  later  the  matter  was  argued  before  the  ."^uijrenie  Court,  whieli  ROAD  MUST 

,  ■      ,  .         .    .  ■   •       COST  LESS 

imanmiouslv  refused  to  connrni  the  report  ot  Us  C.onunissioners.     the  (.ijunon  -j-j^^jvj 

was  based  up(in  the  belief  that  the  road  when  finished  would  not  lurmsh  an  $50,000,000 

adequate  system  of  rapid  transit  from  one  end  of  the  city  to  the  other:   that  it 

was  doubtful  if  the  road  could  be  built  with  the  mone\  at  the  command  of  th(> 

cite;  and  it  was  the  opinion  of  the  Court  that  the  expenditure  of  such  a  vast 

sum  would  do  away  with  the  city's  power  to  engage  in  any  other  public  work, 

and  might  possibly  SQ  impair  its  credit  that  it  could  not  recover  in  many  years. 

It  was  plain  that  the  Court  would  not  sanction  any  road  on  the  Broadway  route, 

nor  an  underground  road  on  an\-  other  route,  unless  it  extended  from  one  end  of 

the  city  to  the  other,  and  it  was  shown  that  the  total  cost  would  be  less  than 

$50,000,000. 

Action  was  brought  in  the  Supreme  Court  for  the  purpose  of  enjoining  the  RAPID 

citv  from  using  its  funds  for  the  construction  of  the  road,  upon  the  ground  that  '^'^'^NSIT  ACT 

...  .  CONSTITU- 

the  Act  of  1894  was  unconstitutional  in  many  of  its  features,  and  therefore  tiONAL 

afforded  no  legal  warrant  for  the  proposed  expenditure.  This  action  was  car- 
rieil  to  the  Court  of  Appeals  and  there  decided  in  favor  of  the  city.  As  explained 
in  the  first  report  issued  b\'  the  Rapid  Transit  Commission,  these  decisions  set  at 
rest  the  vital  question  of  the  constitutionality  of  the  legislation  underlying  the 
rapid  transit  enterprise,  and  entirely  justified  the  wisdom  and  foresight  with 
wliich  the  scheme  had  been  devised. 

Tlie  action  of  the  Appellate  Division  of  the  Supreme  Court,  in  refusing  con- 
sent to  the  construction  of  the  road  upon  the  Broadway  route,  led  to  heated  dis- 
cussion of  the  subject  in  the  press  and  elsewhere.  Persons  standing  high,  in  the 
community  urged  the  Board  to  continue  the  work,  and,  if  possible,  find  a  solu- 
tion of  the  problem  conmiitted  to  it.    The  report  of  the  Commission  says : 


91 


RAl'lD  TRANSIT 


OPINION  OF  'Altliousfh  the  reasoning  of  the  ludgcs  seemed,  at  first  sitrht,  to  amount  to  an 

COMMISSION 

absolute  prohibition  of  municipal  construction  on  any  terms,  yet  further  con- 
sideration led  to  the  conclusion  that  all  hojie  of  a  successful  issue  need  not  be 
abandoned.  The  action  of  the  Court  might  be  construed  as  being  merely  a  con- 
demnation of  the  particular  plan  presented  for  its  consideration ;  and  in  so  far  as 
the  opinions  seemed  to  foreshadow  a  refusal  on  the  part  of  the  Court  to  consent  to 
any  practicable  plan  of  municipal  construction,  they  were  capable  of  being 
regarded  as  so  far  extra-judicial  as  not  to  be  binding  upon  the  future  action  of 
the  Court.  The  Court,  indeed,  might  be  expected,  in  view  of  the  popular  demand 
for  some  system  of  rapid  transit,  to  consider  with  an  open  mind  any  new  plan 
which  did  not  conflict  too  seriously  with  the  views  held  by  its  members,  as  out- 
lined in  the  two  opinions  rendered. 

"Urged  by  these  considerations,  and  by  an  an.xious  desire  to  use  every  pos- 
sible efifort  to  carry  into  effect  the  important  duties  with  which  they  wore 
charged,  a  majority  of  the  members  of  the  Board  concluded,  after  a  period  of 
hesitation,  to  make  still  another  effort  to  find  some  solution  of  the  problem  before 
them. 

MANHATTAN  "Following  closely  upon  the  announcement  of  the  fact  that  the  Rapid  Transit 

RAILROAD  ]3qjjj.(J  would  continue  its  efforts  to  secure  the  construction  of  a  rapid  transit 
APPLICATION       .  ... 

railroad  for  and  at  the  expense  of  the  city,  came  an  application  from  the  Man- 
hattan Railway  Company  that  the  Board  would  authorize  it  to  build  elevated 
railroads  over  a  number  of  additional  streets. 

"This  application  was  vague  and  indefinite  in  some  respects,  and,  in  still 
others,  it  sought  privileges  which  the  Board  had  no  power  to  grant.  A  com- 
munication was  sent  to  the  railroad  company  on  August  6,  1896,  pointing  out 
these  defects  and  suggesting  that  an  amended  application  be  filed.  Xo  reply 
w'as  returned  to  this  communication,  nor  did  the  Board  receive  any  further  inti- 
mation that  the  Manhattan  Railway  Company  desired  to  extend  its  lines  until, 
after  the  lapse  of  eighteen  months,  it  had  become  evident  that  the  rapid  transit 
railroad  was  likely  to  be  constructed  by  the  city." 

During  the  year  1896  Mr.  Low  resigned  from  the  Board,  and  Mr.  Steinway 

and  Mr.  Inman  died.   Woodbury  Langdon,  George  L.  Rives,  and  Charles  .Stewart 

Smith  were  elected  in  their  places. 

ELM  STREET         After  due  consideration  the  Board  decided  to  adopt,  provisionally,  the  Elm 
ROUTE 

ADOPTED  street  route  for  its  main  line.    In  this  connection  it  is  interesting  to  note  that 


92 


WOODBURY  LANGDON 


K.II'ID  TRANSIT 


the  lalc  AhraiH  S.  Ili'will  liad.  in  iiSKS,  laid  down  a  route  from  tlie  Grand  Cen- 
tral Station  to  tlie  l'it_\-  Hall  identical  w  ith  that  now  to  Ix-  adopted  hy  the  Board, 
in  his  message  to  the  Hoard  of  Aldermen,  in  January  of  that  year,  lie  said: 

ROUTE         "It  is  j)erfeetlv  feasible,  1)\-  an  uader,L;round  tunnel  bej^innin^-  in  the  neigh- 
FORMERLY  '  '  ,       ,  .        '    ,        ,  , 

PROPOSED  BY  '^'^''^'^^"^'^1       ritty-tourth  street,  to  pass  under  the  station  and  under  the  present 

MR.  HEWITT  tunnel  from  h'orty-second  street  to  Thirty-second  street;  and  thence  alon^-  the 

ci'nter  of  bourth  avenue  to  Ninth  street;   thence  into  Lafayette  place;  thence 

under  Lafayette  place,  and  thence  throuqh  a  new  street,  connecting  with  the 

Elm  street  improvement,  which  has  been  the  subject  of  much  discussion.  It 

will  he  remembered  that  l-'ourth  avenue,  above  Thirty-third  street,  is  140  feet  in 

width,  the  additional  40  feet  having  been  provided  for  the  tracks  of  the  railway. 

In  opening  the  new  street  from  Lafayette  place  to  the  City  Ilall  the  same  width 

might  be  adopted.    This  would  enable  the  four  tracks  to  be  constructed  in  the 

center  of  the  street  througii  an  open  cut,  for  which  50  feet  would  he  required, 

leaving  90  feet  between  the  two  sides,  or  45  feet  of  street  and  sidewalk  on  each 

side.    I'Vom  Lafayette  place  along  Fourth  avenue  to  Thirty-second  street  the 

four  tracks  would  be  made  in  a  subway.    The  open-cut  jwrtions  of  the  route 

would,  of  course,  require  no  provision  for  ventilation  or  light. 

FOUR  will  be  observed  that  provision  has  thus  been  made  for  four  tracks, 

TRACKS 

extending  from  the  Grand  Central  Station  to  the  terminus  of  the  Brooklyn 
P)ridge.  Between  the  City  Llall  and  the  Grand  Central  Depot  two  tracks  will  be 
used  for  express  trains  stoppmg  only  at  the  Grand  Central  Station.  The  other 
two  tracks  will  be  used  for  trains  stopping  at  Grand  street,  Bleecker  street,  Astor 
place,  Fourteenth  street,  Twenty-third  street.  Thirty-third  street  and  Forty- 
second  street.  This  train  will  take  intermediate  passengers  who  may  desire  to 
catch  trains  at  the  Forty-second  street  station.  Two  of  the  tracks  will  then  proceed 
to  the  Harlem  River,  making  the  necessary  stops,  and  thence  under  the  Harlem  will 
provide  frequent  transit  for  the  eastern  portion  of  the  city  and  of  the  annexed 
district.  The  other  two  tracks  will  turn  to  the  left,  under  Forty-sixth  street,  to 
Broadway,  under  which  they  wdll  pass  to  Fifty-ninth  street,  at  which  point  the 
Boulevard  is  reached.  Here  four  tracks  should  be  laid  in  an  open  cut  extend- 
ing in  time  as  far  aS',  may  be  desirable.  Two  of  these  tracks  will  be  used  for 
through  trains  and  two  for  local  distribution." 

On  January  14,  1897,  a  resolution  was  adopted  establishing  the  present 
route  and  plan  as  follows : 


94 


COMMI.SSlOX   Ol'  iS<ji 


1  K-^iniiini;  at  tlu'  intt'rsi'ctif  m  of  llroadwav  and  I 'ark  row  ,  iiiuK  r  I 'ark  row  PRESENT 

V-        ,.,  .     r  ,  ,    ,  •       ,         1  ROUTE 

to  C  rnli.'r  strri'l,  to  .\c\v  I'.lni  street,  to  Lafayette  i)larr,  aiiu  tlu'iuT  under  l  ourtli  ^qqptED 

and  !'ark  avenues  to  I"'orty-second  street,  to  |!road\va\-,  to  I'i fty-ninth  street,  and 
thence  under  tlie  l!oule\-ard  to  (  )ue-Inindri'd-aiid-twent\- fourth  street;  tlieuce  l)y 
viaduct  to  (  )ne-liundred-and-thirty-fourtli  street;  thence  under  t!ie  lloulevard 
and  Eleventh  avenue  to  ( )ne-hun(hvd-and-ninetieth  street,  and  tlienee  under  or 
over  private  jjroperty.  as  niav  he  most  convenient,  to  the  southeast  end  of  Ell- 
wood  street,  and  thence  over  Idlwood  street  to  Kini^shridt^e  avenue  or  liroad- 
way ;  thence  to  Riverside  avenue  to  a  ])oint  within  500  feet  of  the  present 
Kingsbridge  station  of  the  New  York  &  I'utnam  Railroad. 

This  route  included  a  loop  at  City  Hall  Park  and  suitable  tracks  and  con- 
nections to  the  Post  Office.  There  were  also  to  be  tracks  and  connections  with 
the  vard  and  tracks  of  the  Grand  Central  Station. 

The  second  route  diverged  from  the  first  at  One-hundred-and-third  street 
and  the  Boulevard  and  thence  to  One-hmidrcd-and-fourth  street ;  thence  under 
Central  Park  West  and  Central  Park  to  the  intersection  of  Lenox  avenue  and 
One-hundred-and-tenth  street ;  thence  under  Lenox  avenue  to  One-hundred-and- 
fortieth  street  ;  to  and  under  the  Harlem  River  and  private  property  to  East  One- 
hundred-and-forty-ninth  street  at  its  intersection  with  River  avenue ;  thence 
under  East  One-hundred-and-forty-ninth  street  to  a  point  near  its  intersection 
with  Third  avenue ;  thence  to  Westchester  avenue,  and  thence  by  viaduct  along 
Westchester  aveinie  to  the  Southern  Boulevard  ;  thence  to  the  Boston  Road,  and 
thence  over  the  Boston  Road  to  Bronx  Park. 

The  general  plan  of  construction  was  as  follows : 

Eor  the  route  under  Park  row  and  Citv  Hall  park,  two  parallel  tracks;  PLANOFCON- 

^  ■  struction 

from  the  City  Hall  loop  to  One-hundred-and-thn-d  street,  four  parallel  tracks ; 

north  of  One-hundred-and-third  street  both  routes  to  have  two  tracks. 

All  tracks  were  to  be  on  the  same  level,  except  that  "wherever  required  by 
special  necessities  of  surface  or  sub-surface  structures,  or  other  special  or  local 
necessities,  and  for  the  purpose  of  avoiding  grade  crossings  at  the  southerlv 
end  of  Center  street  and  the  One-hundred-and-tenth  street  junction,  any  one  or 
more  of  the  tracks  may  be  depressed  below  the  level  of  the  other  tracks  to  a 
depth  of  not  more  than  20  feet." 

The  tracks  were  to  be  of  standard  gauge,  and  for  each  track  there  was  to  be 
12}  feet  width  of  tunnel.     \\'hcrever  the  tracks  changed  from  tunnel  to  via- 


95 


RAPID  TRANSIT 


duct  or  the  reverse,  the  change  was  to  be  made  so  as  to  occupy  or  obstruct  the 

use  of  the  surface  of  the  street  to  the  least  possible  extent  consistent  with  the 

proi)er  gradient  for  the  tracks.    The  roof  of  tlic  tunnel  was  to  be  as  near  the 

surface  of  the  street  as  street  conditions  and  grades  would  permit. 

WIDTH  OF         The  maximum  widths  of  the  tunnels  were  to  be  as  follows:   Under  Park 
TUNNELS 

row  and  the  (  ily  liail  loop,  38  feet;  from  the  loop  to  the  commencement  of  Elm 
street,  50  feet  ;  from  there  to  Lafayette  place,  68  feet;  to  One-hundred-and- 
third  street,  50  feet;  for  both  routes  north,  25  feet;  the  tunnel  under  the  river 
and  its  approaches  to  be  35  feet. 

^\  hercvcr  necessary  for  the  support  of  the  street  surface,  the  roof  of  the 
tunnel  was  to  ])e  of  steel  or  iron  girders  with  brick  or  concrete  arches  sup- 
ported by  iron  or  steel  columns  and  masonry  walls,  or  a  masonry  arch.  Via- 
ducts were  to  be  built  with  a  width  of  12^  feet  for  each  track,  and  with  an  addi- 
tional width  of  3  feet  on  each  side  for  outside  footways.  The  viaducts  were  to  be 
built  of  metal  or  masonry,  or  both. 

The  stations  and  station  approaches  were  to  be  at  the  intersection  of  the 
streets,  and  located  under  or  over  the  streets,  or  on  private  property,  as  required 
by  the  situation.  Along  the  Boulevard  openings  were  to  be  provided  in  the 
surface  of  the  street  for  the  purpose  of  ventilation  and  light ;  no  opening  to 
exceed  20  feet  in  width  by  50  feet  in  length. 
METHOD  OF  The  general  mode  of  operation  required  was  by  electricity,  or  some  other 
OPERATION  p^j^^.^j.  j-jQj.  requiring  combustion  within  the  tunnels  or  on  the  viaducts ;  the 
motors  to  be  capable  of  moving  trains  at  a  speed  of  not  less  than  40  miles  an 
hour  for  long  distances,  exclusive  of  stops.  The  manner  of  construction  was  to  be 
hy  tunneling  or  open  excavation. 

It  was  believed  that  this  scheme  of  construction  would  meet  the  require- 
ments of  the  Supreme  Court,  and  for  the  following  reasons  which  were  pre- 
sented in  the  first  report  of  the  Board : 

"In  the  first  place,  the  road  was  estimated  to  cost  about  $35,000,000,  and  that 
this  estimate  was  correct  time  has  conclusively  proved.  In  the  second  place,  it 
ran  from  the  City  Hall — or  near  the  southerly  end  of  Manhattan  Island — to 
Kingsbridge  as  the  terminus  of  one  branch,  and  to  Bronx  Park  as  the  terminus  of 
the  other.  At  Kingsbridge  a  physical  connection  with  the  New  York  Central 
lines  to  Yonkers,  and  beyond,  was  easy.  At  Bronx  Park  the  northerly  limits  of 
the  citv  were  nearlv  reached ;  and  if  the  Court  had  insisted  on  a  further  exten- 


96 


I'hoto  by  Ilullinger  &  Co.,  N.  Y. 

SETH  LOW. 


R.ll'II)  TRANSIT 


sion  here,  it  would  have  cost  little,  comparatively,  to  extend  the  line  still 
farther  hy  an  elevated  structure  throuj^h  the  i'ark. 

"The  necessity  of  avoiding  I '.roadway,  below  Thirty-fourth  street,  so  as  to 
meet  the  views  of  the  Court,  conipi-lled  tlie  use  of  I'^ourth  avenue  and  Elm  street 
for  the  main  stem,  and  the  introduction  of  an  awkward  alignment  from  I'ourth 
a\enue  to  the  westward  along  Forty-second  street  to  IJroadway. 
AN  EAST  SIDE  "li  was  thought  im])ossii)le  in  this  scheme  to  ])ro\'idi'  for  a  line  on  the  h'.ast 

PYPPNiJiup  '''"""1  Central  Station  to  the  liarlem.     The  cost  of  such  a  line 

would  ha\e  brought  the  total  e\])ense  up  to  figures  that  the  Su])reme  Court  was 
not  e\])ected  to  sanction,  even  if  the  West-Side  line  had  been  made  only  a  two- 
track  road.  A  four-track  road,  carried  as  far  north  as  ])ossible,  was  regarded  by 
the  P)Oar(l  as  essential  to  real  rapid  transit.  .\  two-track  road  forbids  the  use  of 
express  trains,  and  necessarily  reduces  the  speed  of  all  trains  to  the  speed  of  the 
slowest.  Upon  the  fullest  consideration,  therefore,  the  lioard  determined  to 
al)andon  an  East-Side  line,  and  to  provide  for  a  four-track  service  to  the  neigh- 
borhood of  One-hundredth  street ;  and  from  that  jwint  to  send  of?  an  easterly 
branch  which  should  follow  the  line,  not  of  l'\)m-th,  but  of  Lenox  avenue,  and 
from  the  termination  of  that  street  should  cross  the  Harlem. 

"'Jdiis  route  appeared  to  the  Jioard  the  i)est  that  could  at  that  time  be 
devised  to  meet  the  conditions  imposed  ;  and  it  seemed  probable  that,  if  the  sys- 
tem proved  a  success,  additional  lines  might  subsequently  be  built  that  would 
supply  some  rather  obvious  defects  in  the  plan  adopted.  Moreover,  the  Board 
believed  that  the  section  of  the  city  east  of  Central  Park  was  already  better  ])ro- 
vided  with  transit  facilities  than  most  other  quarters. 
ROAD  TO  BE  '■'"^  very  important  particular  the  plan  of  1897  involved  an  important 

IN  TUNNEL  departure  from  the  plan  of  1895.  The  entire  line  of  the  road  on  Manhattan 
Island  was  to  be  in  tunnel,  except  for  the  short  distance  between  Fort  George 
and  Kingsbridge.  In  the  liorough  of  the  Bronx  the  road  was  to  be  in  tunnel 
from  the  Harlem  River  to  a  point  on  Westchester  avenue  sorne  distance  east  of 
Third  avenue.  The  Board  was  not  willing  to  gain  in  cheapness  by  sacrificing 
important  streets  to  elevated  railways. 

'Tt  has  already  been  pointed  out  that  the  southerly  terminus  of  the  route  thus 
adopted  was  at  I'ark  row,  and  this  fact  is  also  to  be  explained  by  that  statement  that, 
although  the  Board  was  of  the  opinion  that  the  route  ought  to  be  extended  along 
Broadway  to  South  Ferry,  it  was  unwilling,  in  view  of  dicta  contained  in  the 
opinions  of  the  Appellate  Division,  to  risk  a  condemnation  of  its  entire  plan. 


98 


COMMISSION  OU  1894 


unless  the  owners  of  proi)erty  u])<)n  that  porti(jn  of  15road\vay  affected  by  its 
route  should,  by  conseiitiiii;'  to  the  construction  of  the  railroad,  render  unneces- 
sary a  recourse  to  the  courts." 

As  soon  as  the  intention  of  the  lloard  became  known  there  ensued  an  agita-  EXTENSION 

TO  RATTERY 

Caon  among-  the  property  owners  along  lower  l>roadway  in  favor  of  the  exten-  pj^^^g. 
sion  of  the  roatl  to  the  Battery.  In  a  few  weeks  a  petition  was  presented  to  the 
Board,  signed  by  a  majority,  in  value,  of  all  the  property  owners,  asking  for  the 
extension  of  the  road.  The  lioard  therefore  adopted  a  resolution  on  April  i, 
1897.  ])riivi(ling  for  a  two-track  extension  In  I'.atlery  place,  with  a  loop  under 
Battery  I'ark,  Whitehall  and  State  streets.  Afterward  this  extension  was 
abandoned,  for  the  time  being,  owing  to  the  refusal  of  the  Park  Commissioners  to 
grant  consent  to  its  construction. 

The  approval  of  propertv  owners  having  been   refused,  application   was  BOND  OF 

$  1 5  000  000 

again  made  to  the  Supreme  Court  and  a  connnission  was  appointed  in  Jtily, 
1897.  Idiis  connnission  reported  unanimously  in  favor  of  the  plans.  A  major- 
ity of  the  Court  was  in  favor  of  the  motion,  but,  as  the  opinion  said,  to  give 
"some  assurance  that  the  powers  of  the  Rapid  Transit  Commissioners  in 
respect  to  security  should  be  exercised  so  as  to  protect  the  interests  of  the 
city  in  a  substantial  manner,"  exacted,  as  a  condition  precedent  to  the  entry  of  an 
order  confirming  the  report,  a  requirement  that  the  Rapid  Transit  Board  should 
file  a  stipulation  that,  upon  awarding  any  contract  for  the  construction  and 
operation  of  the  railroad,  "the  penalty  of  the  bond  specified  in  section  34  of  the 
rapid  transit  act  will  be  fixed  at  not  less  than  $15,000,000." 

It  needed  no  extended  acquaintance  with  the  subject  to  perceive  that,  if  the  BOND 

EXCESSIVE 

Court  persisted  in  exacting  a  literal  compliance  with  these  conditions,  its  action 
would  amount  to  an  absolute  veto  of  the  entire  plan  of  municipal  construction 
and  ownership.  The  Board  appointed  a  sub-committee  to  ascertain  if  such  a 
bond  could  be  obtained  and  to  report  what  security  in  money,  bonds,  or  other- 
wise could  probably  be  obtained  from  respon.sible  bidders. 

The  Greater  New  York  Charter  went  into  ef¥ect  January  i,  1898.  The 
charter  compelled  the  city  to  assume  the  indebtedness  of  all  the  consolidated 
territory,  with  the  result  that  the  debt  incurring  capacity  of  the  new  city  was 
reduced  to  a  very  narrow  limit.  But  this  proved  to  be  only  temporary,  since 
the  increase  in  the  assessed  valuations  of  property  in  the  county  of  New  York, 
which  was  shortly  made  in  order  to  cciualize  its  value  w'ith  the  assessed  valua- 


99 


RAPID  TRANSIT 


tions  in  other  j)ortions  of  the  city,  resuUed  in  giving  sucli  a  margin  as  would 
suffice  for  the  construction  of  the  raj-id  transit  railroad  without  intrenching 
u|ion  the  ten  i)er  cent,  liniitalion  iin|)osed  h\-  the  charter.  Another  result  of  the 
consolidation  was  a  tendenc\  to  arra\-  the  influence  of  Kings  and  Richmond 
counties,  and  a  portion  of  Oueens.  against  the  plans.  At  that  time  it  seemed 
that  the  endeavors  of  the  Hoard  would  be  defeated  or  at  least  doomed  to  indefinite 
postponement. 

The  Manhattan  Railway  Company  now  made  public  its  intention  to  extend 

its  svstem  of  elevated  railways  as  soon  as  it  could  obtain  permission  from  the 

l>oard,  or  from  the  Legislature  to  do  so. 

APPLICATION         The  Metropolitan  Street  Railway  Company  withdrew  from  the  contest  by 

OF  ELEVATED  announcing  to  the  Hoard  that,  as  matters  then  .stood,  it  could  not  be  expected  to 
COtviPANY  ^       ,  ,  ,  ,  , 

compete  for  the  contract  to  construct  and  operate  the  proposed  road.     1  he 

])osition  assumed  by  the  h'-levated  Company  made  it  certain  to  the  Board  that 
not  only  the  Metroj)olitan  Comi)any  but  other  responsible  bidders  would  hesitate 
before  making  proposals  for  the  contract  to  build  and  operate  the  road.  In  July, 
i8u(),  the  Elevated  Company  presented  an  ai)i)lication  to  the  Board.  This  appli- 
cation is  reviewed  in  the  report  of  the  sub-committee  appointed  by  the  Ijoard  in 
the  following  language : 
APPLICATION         "The  aj^plication  of  the  Elevated  Railway  Company  was  expressly  condi- 

REVIEWED  tioned  ujjon  its  receiving  imnumitv  from  claims  for  damages;  it  asked  for 
BY  BOARD  .  .        ,        ,  .  •,  f 

grants  ot  street  surface  iranchises;  it  asked  for  franciuses  including  30  miles  of 

new  route,  besides  additional  facilities  upon  existing  routes,  but  did  not  pledge 

the  compaiiv  to  any  actual  extension  of  its  system  or  other  relief  within  any 

gi\en  period  of  time,  and  it  made  no  ofYer  of  any  rental.    The  answer  of  the 

Board  i)ointed  out  that  the  application  was  not  in  a  form  which  permitted 

definite  acceptance  ;  that  the  Board  had  no  power  under  the  law  to  assure  to  a 

private  corporation  building  an  elevated  railroad  immunity  from  damages ;  that 

under  the  statute  rental  must  be  paid  on  extensions ;  and  that  the  Board  was 

expresslv  forbidden  by  the  statute  to  grant  any  right  to  construct  a  railroad  on 

the  surface  of  a  street.    It  was*  further  pointed  out  that  the  granting  of  any 

application  not  limited  in  time  would  be,  in  substance,  to  give  an  option  to  the 

Elevated  Railway  Company  to  extend  or  improve  its  system  whenever  it  should 

become  readv  to  do  so,  without  imposing  upon  it  any  corresponding  obligation, 

thus  suspending  meantime  the  practical  possibility  of  relief  from  any  other 

cjuarter. 


100 


I'lioto  by  Falk,  N.  Y. 

CHARLES  STEWART  SMITH 


RAPID  TRANSIT 


ELEVATED  "The  Board  concluded  its  communication  by  expressing  the  hope  that  the 
'^^AMEND  Elevated  Railroad  Company,  in  view  of  the  exceptional  privileges  which  it  had 
APPLICATION  received  from  the  city,  and  the  exceptional  advantages  which  it  then  enjoyed 
for  the  extension  of  rapid  transit  facilities,  would  promptly  amend  its  applica- 
tion so  that  the  Board  could  lawfully  deal  with  it;  and  the  Board  promised  that, 
upon  receiving  such  an  application,  it  would  reach  a  determination  upon  it 
without  delay.  To  this  communication,  made  nearly  eighteen  months  ago,  no 
answer  has  been  received." 


The  sub-committee  inquired  into  the  possibility  of  securing  a  bond  of 
$15,000,000,  as  required  by  the  decision  of  court.  The  report  states  that:  "It  is 
not  possible  for  the  Board,  until  it  shall  have  power  to  propose  a  contract,  to 
reach  a  definite  conclusion  as  to  what  amount  of  bond  ought  to  be  exacted  from 
the  successful  bidder."  At  that  time  the  terms  of  the  contract  had  not  been 
fixed,  and  upon  them  much  depended ;  moreover,  the  length  of  the  lease,  char- 
acter of  the  requirements  for  operation,  and  the  probable  value  of  the  equip- 
ment to  be  furnished  by  the  contractor,  were  all  elements  demanding  considera- 
tion.   Therefore,  the  committee  said: 

"If  a  bond  for  $15,000,000  be  required  in  the  technical  form  prescribed  by 
section  34,  the  requirements  will,  in  the  opinion  of  your  committee,  operate  as  a 
substantial  prohibition  of  the  enterprise. 

"In  the  opinion  of  your  committee,  it  was  not  the  intention  of  the  people  of 
the  city,  or  of  the  Legislature,  that  the  Board  should  attempt  the  impossibility  of 
eliminating  all  risk  to  the  city  in  carrying  out  the  rapid  transit  plan.  Any  future 
construction  involving  expenditure  of  money  inevitably  involves  risk.  Municipal 
construction  was  not  justified,  and  could  not,  under  the  constitution,  be  justified 
for  the  purpose  of  making  money.  Its  constitutional  justification  lay  in  the 
great  public  necessity  of  the  city.  *  *  *  g^^-  must  be  remembered  that 
the  rental  to  be  paid  is  the  full  amount  of  the  interest  which  the  city  is  to  pay 
upon  its  bonds,  and  that,  in  addition,  there  is  to  be  paid  at  least  one  per  cent, 
per  annum,  with  a  conditional  deduction  for  the  first  five  or  ten  years.  This  one 
per  cent,  is  in  effect  a  sinking  fund,  the  result  of  which  will  ultimately  be  to 
give,  without  expense  to  the  city,  the  rapid  transit  road  completely  constructed, 
the  entire  outlay,  as  well  for  principal  as  for  interest,  being  met  by  the  rental 
payable  by  the  contractor. 


CITY 
AMPLY 
PROTECTED 


102 


COMMISSION  Of  iSQ.f. 


"If,  however,  the  Court  shall  rr(|iiire  a  stipulation  as  to  security  now,  the  LARGE  BOND 
following  considerations  may  i)e  uracil:  In  the  first  place,  it  may  well  be  con- 
tended  that  this  Hoard,  as  a  public  body,  have  no  rij^ht  to  enter  into  any  con- 
tract as  to  the  future  exercise  of  their  powers.  Even  if  the  Board  can  with 
propriety  give  a  stipulation  as  to  their  future  action,  the  facts  upon  which  to 
form  a  sound  business  judgment  as  to  the  amount  of  security  to  be  exacted  are 
as  yet  not  fully  known — particularly  as  the  form  of  contract  to  be  proposed  to 
bidders  cannut  be  setlled  in  advance  of  the  formal  consent  of  the  Court.  In 
any  case,  a  joint  and  several  bond  for  $15,000,000,  running  for  the  whole  term  of 
the  lease,  and  on  which  the  sureties  must  justify  in  $30,000,000,  is  practically 
prohibitive,  because  satisfactory  sureties  could  not  probably  be  found.  Even  if 
found,  the  expense  and  difiiculty  of  obtaining  such  surety  would  operate  to 
limit  competition  and  tend  to  make  the  cost  of  construction  larger  than  it 
need  be,  and  without  any  compensating  advantages.  The  attempt  to  exact  too 
large  a  bond,  continuing  long  after  the  road  is  finished,  would  only  result  in 
defeating  the  whole  scheme  of  municipal  construction  and  ownership.  If  the 
Court  will  consent  to  limit  its  recjuircments  to  security  for  construction — leav- 
ing it  to  the  Board  to  fix  the  amount  of  the  continuing  bond — and  will  permit 
the  giving  of  several  bonds,  such  security  for  a  very  large  amount  could  be 
obtained.  But  even  for  construction  alone,  a  bond  for  fifty  per  cent,  of  the  esti- 
mated cost  of  the  work  would  be  unnecessary — especially  in  view  of  the  require- 
ment of  a  cash  deposit  of  $1,000,000  and  the  proposed  retention  of  a  large 
percentage  of  the  cost  of  the  w^ork  until  the  road  is  fully  constructed  and 
equipped — and  it  is  also  contrary  to  the  practice  prevailing  in  all  city  or  gov- 
ernment work." 

x-\cting  upon  the  advice  of  its  committee  the  Board  made  application  to  the  BOND 
„  .        .  .  .  ....  REDUCED 

Court  for  the  modification  of  the  terms  imposed  by  it.    The  Court  still  msisted 

that  the  Board  must  exact  a  bond  for  $15,000,000,  but  it  consented  that  the 

liability  of  the  sureties  as  to  $14,000,000  thereof  should  terminate  when  the 

road  should  have  been  completed  and  equipped ;  and  that  the  permanent  liability 

upon  the  bond  might  be  limited  to  $1,000,000.   These  terms,  although  still  severe, 

were  not  necessarily  prohibitive,  and  the  Board,  therefore,  entered  into  the 

stipulation  required  by  the  Court. 

Again  the  matter  was  taken  up  with  the  Alanhattan  Railway  Company,  and  a 

sub-committee  was  appointed  to  examine  the  matter.     A  summary  of  seven 


103 


RAPID  TRANSIT 


franchises  the  Jioanl  was  willing  to  grant  was  sul)niitted  to  the  company.  The 
Manhattan  officials  did  not  have  the  plans  elahorated,  made  no  estimates  of 
cost,  made  no  suggestions  regarding  rentals  to  he  ])aid  the  city,  and  continually 
pleaded  for  more  time  for  investigatitjn  and  consideration.  They  constantly 
overlooked  the  fact  that  the  question  had  heen  before  them  for  several  years, 
and  every  conceivable  aspect  of  the  rapid  transit  problem,  as  far  as  elevated 
roads  were  concerned,  had  been  discussed  with  the  present  and  former  com- 
missioners. 

The  sub-committee's  report  concluded  as  follows: 

SEVEN  "If  the  Manhattan  Company  shall  accept  the  seven  franchises  thus  pro- 

FRANCHISES  pQged  and  carry  them  out  according  to  their  terms,  the  rapid  transit  facilities  of 
OFFERED  .... 
TO  THE  the  city  will  be  materially  improved.    The  rapid  transit  problem,  however,  will 

MANHATTAN  not  be  solved.  On  the  contrary,  it  is  our  belief  that  before  the  periods 
described  in  the  franchises  shall  have  expired,  the  necessity  will  be  even  clearer 
than  it  is  now  ftjr  an  additional  rapid  transit  system,  having  the  enormous  advan- 
tages incidental  to  a  systena  carried  through  tunnels  constructed  on  the  improved 
modern  method.  This  will,  in  our  opinion,  be  the  case,  notwithstanding  the 
increase  of  the  capacity  and  traffic  of  the  Manhattan  system.  If  the  Manhattan 
Company  shall  exercise  all  the  franchises  now  proposed  to  be  tendered  it,  it 
will  be  able  to  carry  a  ver\-  much  larger  number  of  passengers  and  to  carry  the 
passengers  at  a  materially  increased  speed.  And  as  our  proposition  is  that  the 
Manhattan  Company  shall  be  permitted  to  take  any  one  or  more  or  all  of  the 
franchises,  the  company  is  enabled,  if  it  does  not  see  its  way  to  undertake  all  of 
these  obligations,  still  to  undertake  such  of  them  as  shall  give  material  relief. 
If  the  Manhattan  Company  shall,  pursuant  to  the  statute,  accept  all  the  cer- 
tificates tendered  by  the  Rapid  Transit  Board,  the  city  and  the  public  will  have 
assurance  of  a  reasonably  prompt  and  material  improvement  of  its  transit 
facilities." 

FRANCHISES  The  Manhattan  Company  refused  to  accept  any  of  the  franchises.  It  was 
REFUSED  ^jnvvilling  to  undertake  the  work  of  extending  its  traffic  facilities.  Its  last 
opportunity  had  come  and  gone.  It  was  controlled  apparently  by  a  belief 
that  no  solution  of  rapid  transit  problems  could  be  obtained  without  its  co-opera- 
tion, and  that  in  the  end  privileges  would  be  granted  to  it  on  its  own  terms.  A 
procrastinating  policy  had  been  successful  with  former  commissions,  and  why 
should  it  not  be  in  this  case? 


104 


I'licto  by   J)ii|u.nt.   N.  V. 

JOHN  H.  STARIN 


RAPID  TRANSIT 


OTHER  Still  Other  attempts  were  made  b}'  the  Board  to  provide  ra]jid  transit  by 

EFFORTS  OF  (.jiiistinp-  the  assistance  of  those  already  concerned  with  raUroad  transportation 
BOARD 

within  the  citv.  Interviews  were  had.  with  Cornelius  X'anderbilt  and  with 
Mr.  Depew,  president  of  the  New  York  Central  &  Hudson  River  Railroad 
Company,  and  with  Mr.  Clark,  president  of  the  New^  York,  New  Haven  & 
Hartford  Railroad.  The  ISoard  presented  to  those  .iL^entlemcn  the  advantages 
which  it  then  believed  belonged  to  the  ra])id  transit  plan,  and  which  experience 
has  since  demonstrated  did  in  fact  so  belong,  and  urged  the  value  of  co-ojiera- 
tion  with  the  P)Oard.  The  Hoard  was,  however,  unable  to  convince  them. 
Later,  like  conferences  were  had  with  Mr.  Whitney  and  others  representing  the 
Metropolitan  Street  Railway  interest,  and  with  capitalists  representing  other 
large  railroad  interests.  But  until  the  actual  letting  of  the  ra])id  transit  con- 
tract in  januarw  toqg.  the  lioard  was  unable  to  satisfy  any  responsible  persons  in 
control  of  railroad  interests  within  the  City  of  New  York  that  they  could  under- 
take the  rapid  transit  contract  with  any  fair  chance  of  profit. 


KIUSK,     BUDAPEST  SUBWAY. 


io6 


CHAPTER  Xll. 


PREPARING  THE  SUBWAY  CONTRACT. 


On  July  I,  1897,  the  duty  of  preparing  the  contract  for  the  construction  CONTRACT 

SENT  TO  COR" 

and  operation  of  the  proposed  railroad  was  submitted  to  a  sub-committee  of  the 

'  '■     '  PORATION 

Board.    The  contract  was  completed  March  31,  1898,  and  sent  to  the  Corpora-  COUNSEL 
tion  Counsel  for  his  approval  on  April  7,  of  the  same  year,  as  recpiircd  by  the 
act.    No  attention  was  jjaid  to  llie  request  of  the  Board  until  September  of  the 
following  year,  and  in  the  meantime  all  work  toward  the  construction  of  the 
road  was  brought  to  a  standstill. 

The  situation  at  that  time  was  fully  explained  in  a  communication  by  the 
board  to  the  Legislature.  It  was  stated  that,  by  the  terms  of  the  Greater  New 
York  Charter,  the  enlarged  city  was  compelled  to  assume  all  the  liabilities  of  all 
the  counties,  towns,  villages  and  public  corporations  embraced  in  the  consolida- 
tion. While  the  amount  of  this  indebtedness  was  not  known  precisely,  the 
Comptroller  was  of  the  opinion  that  it  was  not  less  than  thirteen  and  a  half 
million  dollars  in  excess  of  the  ten  per  cent,  of  the  assessed  value  of  the  real 
estate  within  the  city  limits.  If  such  were  the  case  it  would  be  impossible  to 
borrow  the  money  required  to  construct  the  road.  The  Rapid  Transit  Com- 
mission was,  therefore,  constrained  to  consider  carefully  the  courses  open  to 
the  city  to  obtain  the  relief  so  long  sought  and  so  urgently  needed. 

Three  plans  were  suggested:  THREE  PLANS 

1.  To  wait  until  the  borrowing  capacity  of  the  city  became  so  enlarged  SUGGESTED 
by  a  reduction  of  the  debt,  or  by  an  increase  of  assessed  valuations  of  real 

estate,  or  by  both,  as  to  enable  it  to  borrow  the  funds  necessary. 

2.  To  obtain  legislative  authority  to  issue  bonds  of  the  county  of  New  York 
for  the  construction  of  the  road. 

3.  To  obtain  legislative  authority  to  ofifer  a  franchise  for  the  construction 
and  operation  of  the  road  to  private  enterprise. 

The  net  funded  debt  of  the  city  of  New  York  on  January  i,  1899,  was  $244,- 
212,835.97;  other  items  brought  the  total  up  to  $250,928,950.10.    The  amount 


107 


RAl'lD  TRASSI'i 


was  only  $1,924,394  less  than  ten  per  cent,  of  the  assessed  valuation  of  the  real 

estate  of  the  city.    Upon  this  basis  it  was  manifestly  impossible  to  borrow  the 

amount  needed  for  the  construction  of  the  road. 

VALUATION  lUn  a  few  days  later  the  Ta.x  Commissieincrs  made  ituhlic  the  assessed  vahia- 

OF  CITY  jiQ,-,s  (jf  ^.>^tate  for  nuriioses  of  taxation  duriii"'  the  year   1800.  These 

PROPERTY  ^     '  >^  J  jj 

showed  an  increase  of  $421,512,876;  ten  per  cent,  of  which,  or  $42,151,287.60, 

represented  the  amount  by  which  the  city's  debt-incurring  capacity  had  been 

increased.    I'ut  there  were  other  demands  for  money  for  important  city  uses. 

The  Com])lroller  was  of  the  opinion  that  if  it  should  be  found  desirable  to 

br.ild  till-'  road  by  the  use  of  the  numiciiKd  credit,  the  contracts  for  construction 

should  be  so  drawn  as  not  to  call  for  the  issue  of  bonds  in  excess  of  ten 

millions  of  dollars  in  any  one  year.    The  Commission  recognized  the  fact  that 

this  could  be  done  by  dividing  the  contract  into  three  sections  of  $10,000,000 

each,  one  section  to  be  built  each  }ear,  but  considered  it  their  duty  to  seek  an 

enlargement  of  their  powers  so  as  to  permit  them  to  take  advantage  of  the 

improvement  in  the  city's  finances,  or  to  look  to  other  sources  for  the  capital  to 

build  the  road. 

The  money  could  have  been  raised  by  issuing  bonds  of  the  County  of  Xew 

York,  including  the  Boroughs  of  Manhattan  and  the  Bronx,  as  the  debt  of  the 

county  was  far  below  the  ten  per  cent,  limit,  and  as  there  was  nothing  in  the 

Constitution  prohibiting  such  a  proceeding.    Such  a  course  would  maintain  an 

essential  clause  of  the  act  of  1894,  namely,  municipal  ownership  with  private 

operation.    The  road  would  be  an  asset  of  the  county.    The  obligation  assumed 

by  the  ccjunty  woukl  not  involve  the  levying  of  any  tax  nor  impose  any  burden 

upon  the  taxpayers,  unless  tb.e  contractor  should  default.    The  Comptroller  held 

the  opinion  that  it  would  be  undesirable  to  issue  such  bonds. 

TO  SELL         The  last  possible  solution  rested  in  selling  a  franchise  to  construct  and 

FRANCHISE  Qp^.j-ate  the  road,  if  the  statute  permitted  this  to  be  done.    The  financial  condi- 
TO  CON- 
STRUCT AND  tions  of  1899  were  much  more  favorable  to  the  successful  conduct  of  the  enter- 

OPERATE  prise  than  they  were  in  1893-4.    The  pronounced  success  of  the  Boston  subway 

^'^^^  served  to  remove  doubts  that  had  existed  as  to  the  practicability  of  such  a  road, 

and  illustrated  the  possibility  of  closely  estimating  the  cost  and  the  probable 

income.    In  its  appeal  to  the  Legislature  the  Board  says : 

"Quite  apart  from  and  in  addition  to  the  considerations  mentioned,  is  the 
further  consideration  that  the  contemplated  rapid  transit  road,  whether  built 

108 


I'KiU'ARiXi.;  I  III-,  sfinwiv  cosikact 


witli  city  money  or  by  private  ca])itai,  will,  at  the  end  of  a  comparatively  sliort 
time,  become  a  piece  of  property  whose  value  it  would  be  difificult  to  over- 
estimate. It  is  perfectly  safe  to  say  that  in  the  course  of  fifty  years  the  certain 
growth  of  the  city's  population  will  so  increase  the  earning;-  cajjacity  of  such  a 
road  that  the  value  will  he  far  L;reater  than  its  original  cost.  'I'he  effect  of  ])er- 
mitting  construction  by  private  capital  would,  therefore,  be  to  surrender  to 
individuals  an  asset  which  might  be  made  a  valuable  addition  to  the  property  of 
the  people  of  the  whole  city.  The  former  city  of  New  York,  in  its  ownership  of 
markets  and  docks,  exemplified  the  wisdom  of  pursuing  the  plan  of  municipal 
ownership.  In  the  surrender  of  its  streets  to  surface  and  elevated  roads,  wliich 
are  now  doing  a  profitable  business  on  a  capitalization  far  greater  than  their 
original  cost,  it  exhibits  the  results  of  the  opposite  course  of  dealing. 

"The  Rapid  Transit  Board  is,  however,  of  the  opinion  that  the  proposed  THE  SUBWAY 
.,         .  ,      r       ,  ,-       ,  ,     r       1         -  JUSTIFIES 

underground  railway  is  a  work  of  such  peculiar  cliaracter,  and  of  such  excep-  qep^i^rxure 

tional  value  to  the  citv,  that  a  departure  from  the  settled  policy  of  recent  legis-  FROM 

1  ^-  •   1  *  I      -     ra    y  SETTLED 

lation  might  be  justihed. 

POLICIES 

"It  is  i)lain  that  such  justification  can  only  be  found  in  the  event  of  the 
public  credit  proving  unavailable.  That  such  will  be  the  case  is  not  as  yet 
entirely  certain.  The  Board,  therefore,  recommend  that  if  power  is  granted 
them  to  sell  the  franchise  to  construct  the  road,  such  power  shall  be  additional  to 
their  present  powers  and  not  a  substitute  for  them.  In  this  way  the  Board  will  be 
enabled  to  take  advantage  of  varying  conditions  as  they  may  arise  in  the  future. 
If  the  city  authorities  shall  see  their  way  clear  to  keep  the  debt  sufficiently  within 
the  constitutional  limitation,  then  the  Board  will  be  in  position  to  authorize 
municipal  construction;  and,  on  the  other  hand,  if  municipal  construction  shall 
prove  to  be  constitutionally  impracticable  within  any  reasonable  time,  the  Board 
may  be  enabled  to  arrange  for  construction  by  private  capital. 

"The  Board,  therefore,  ventures  to  urge  that  if  the  Legislature  shall  deter-  CONSTRUC- 
mine  that  it  is  w'ise  to  permit  a  resort  to  private  capital,  the  largest  measure  of  '['i^fL,_-, 

^  *  ^  OPERATION 

authority  and  discretion  compatible  with  the  public  interest  shall  be  intrusted  to  by  PRIVATE 
the  Board  in  order  that  it  may  frame  such  a  franchise  as  will  certainly  attract  CAPITAL 
sufficient  private  capital  and  arouse  competition.    And  the  Board  deems  it  of 
special  importance,  if  private  enterprise  is  to  be  enlisted,  that  the  Board  may  be 
authorized,  in  its  discretion,  to  enter  into  such  a  contract  with  the  corporation 
that  shall  undertake  the  work  as  will  exempt  it  from  taxation  for  some  limited 


109 


RAPID  TRANSIT 


period,  and  will  insure  it  for  a  period  of  years,  at  least,  against  the  possibility  of 
legislative  or  municipal  interference." 

PROPOSITION  Ik'fore  action  had  been  taken  upon  the  bill  introduced   by  the  Jioard  to 

OF  METRO-     ,     .      ,  ,  ,.  .       ,  .  .  .     ,  r  , 

POLITAN  oblani  these  additional  powers,  a  proposition  was  received  from  the  Metropolitan 

COMPANY  Street  Railway  Company  that,  if  the  Hoard  would  grant  a  ])eri)etual  franchise  to  a 
new  corporation  to  be  formed  by  them,  they  would  build  the  road  and  pay  the 
annual  sum  of  5  per  cent,  of  the  gross  receipts  therefor,  "provided  that  the 
grantee  shall  first  receive  5  per  cent,  net  upon  the  cost  of  construction."  While 
the  Board  was  unanimous  in  the  belief  that  the  benefit  of  owning  the  railroad 
should  be  preserved  to  the  city,  the  necessities  of  the  situation  imperatively 
demanded  that  the  construction  of  a  rapid  transit  system  should  l)e  obtained  in 
some  way.  The  Board  also  held  the  opinion  that  if  it  could  present  as  an  alter- 
native to  the  plan  of  municipal  construction  "another  ])lan  which  offered  an 
immediate  solution  of  the  difficulty  through  the  medium  of  a  perpetual  grant  to  a 
private  corporation,  a  clear-cut  issue  would  be  presented  to  the  public,  and  that 
this  would  compel  the  city  authorities  to  come  to  a  decision  upon  the  vital  ques- 
tion whether  the  railroad  should  be  constructed  with  the  city's  money  and  be 
the  city's  property,  or  whether  it  should  be  constructed  by  and  belong  to  a 
private  corporation."  In  consequence  of  these  considerations,  a  resolution  was 
adopted  "that  it  is  in  the  public  interest  that  in  addition  to  the  powers  already 
possessed  by  the  Board,  the  Legislature  should  grant  to  the  Board  the  power  to 
contract  for  the  construction  and  operation  of  the  rapid  transit  railroad  by 
private  capital."  The  introduction  of  a  bill  to  this  eft'ect  served  to  show  the 
intensity  of  the  popular  feeling  in  favor  of  reserving  the  ownership  of  the 
road  by  the  city.  It  was  made  manifest  that  the  public  was  unalterably 
against  the  granting  of  a  perpetual  franchise  to  the  Metropolitan  Company, 
or  to  any  other  private  corporation.  The  ofifer  of  the  company  was 
withdrawn. 

MAYOR         At  the  Board  meeting  of  March  11,  1899,  it  was  announced  that  the  Mayor 

REFUSES  TO  ^^^^  refused  to  accept,  in  behalf  of  the  city,  the  amendments  to  the  rapid  transit 
ACCEPT  .  ^ 

AMENDMENTS  ^^^s  which  had  been  passed  by  the  Legislature.    This  w-as  the  bill  that  had  been 

PROPOSED  introduced  by  the  Board,  but  which  had  been  so  changed  as  to  seriouslv  inter- 

BY  BOARD    .  .  ,  .    .         ,  ,      ■  ,     ,  ,     •  ,    ,  ,        .  ,      '  . 

fere  with  any  negotiations  the  board  might  have  decided  to  make  with  a  view  to 

construction  of  the  road  by  private  capital. 


no 


I'REl'.lRJNG  THE  SUBWAY  CONTRACT 


In  a  cunmuniication  to  Mayor  Robert  i\.  \  aiiW  yck,  uiukr  elate  of  May  19, 
1899,  the  Commissioners  said: 

"The  Board  begs  to  rejjeat  that  its  jjower  to  carry  ont  the  purpose  for 
which  it  was  created  now  dc])cn(ls  practically,  first,  upon  the  permission  of  the 
Corporation  Counsel  to  make  any  contract,  and,  second,  upon  the  assent  of  the 
Board  of  Estimate  to  a  postponement  of  the  making  of  other  contracts  involv- 
ing large  municipal  debt  until  a  rapid  transit  contract,  actually  made,  shall  assure 
the  carrying  out  of  that  great  public  measure.  The  Board,  therefore,  respect- 
fully asks  your  Honor,  and  through  you  the  other  municipal  authorities, 
whether  in  these  two  respects  it  may  be  aided  to  secure  prompt  and  actual  con- 
struction of  the  rapid  transit  road  by  the  city." 

No  answer  was  received  from  the  Mayor,  nor  was  any  action  taken  by  either  NO  ACTION 

BY  CITY 

the  Board  of  Estimate  and  Apportionment  or  the  Corporation  Counsel.  The  ^y-j-^ORlTIE 
subject  was  again  gone  over  in  a  communication  to  the  Board  of  Estimate  "and 
Apportionment  in  July.  The  attention  of  that  Board  was  called  to  the  fact  that 
the  debt-incurring  power  of  the  city  was  not  less  than  $40,000,000,  a  sum  amply 
sufficient  to  build  the  rapid  transit  road ;  that  no  contract  could  be  made  until 
the  Corporation  Counsel  acted ;  that  the  rapid  transit  debt  of  the  city  could  not  be 
technically  created  until  after  a  contract  had  been  executed ;  and  that  until  such 
debt  had  been  created  or  authorized,  other  debts  might  be  incurred  which  would 
effectually  prevent  the  construction  of  the  road  and  thus  defeat  the  will  of  the 
city  as  represented  by  vote  of  the  people.  No  answer  was  received  to  this  com- 
munication. 

It  was  not  until  September  20,  1899,  eighteen  months  later,  that  a  letter 
was  received  by  the  Rapid  Transit  Commission  from  the  Corporation  Counsel. 
He  withheld  approval  of  the  draft  contract  "for  the  reason  that,  while  the 
approval  of  the  Corporation  Counsel  was  technically  merely  an  approval  as  to 
form,  it  has  always  been  the  practice  of  this  Department  in  such  a  case  not  to 
approve  as  to  form  a  contract  which  could  not  legally  be  made."  He  stated 
that  the  city  was  now  in  a  position  to  imdertake  the  work,  and  suggested 
changes  in  the  form. 

A  revised  draft  of  the  contract  was  approved  by  the  Corporation  Counsel  CORPORA- 

October  II,  1899.  Counsel 

The  amount  of  the  bond  ($14,000,000)  was  reduced  by  the  Appellate  Divi-  APPROVES  ' 

CONTRACT 

sion  of  the  Supreme  Court.    The  decision  rendered  on  November  10  said : 


R.iriD  TRANSIT 


BOND         "The  Corporation  Counsel,  on  behalf  of  the  citv  of  New  York,  having 
REDUCED  BY  ^        .     ^,         .    .  •  •  ,.      •  ,  , 

COURT  J'""*-''^'   with  the   Rapid    Iransit   Commissioners  in  this  application,  and  the 

municipal  authorities  as  well  as  the  lvai)id  Transit  Commissioners  having  repre- 
sented that  in  their  opinion  a  bond  of  $5,000,000  will,  in  view  of  the  form  of 
the  contract  and  the  conditions  under  which  the  rapid  transit  road  is  now  to  be 
constructed,  amply  protect  the  city,  the  Rapid  Transit  Commissioners  are  relieved 
from  the  stipulation  which  they  gave  as  a  condition  upon  the  confirmation  of 
the  report  of  the  Commissioners  in  approving  of  the  construction  of  this  pro- 
posed railway  to  the  extent  that  a  bond  of  $5,000,000  will  be  a  compliance  with 
the  stipulation." 

The  terms  of  the  contract  were,  in  brief,  as  follows : 

The  contractor  agrees  to  construct  and  equip  the  railroad  upon  the  routes 
and  in  accordance  with  the  general  plans  of  the  Commission ;  to  put  it  in  opera- 
tion ;  and  to  use,  maintain,  and  operate  it  under  a  lease  from  the  city  for  the 
term  of  50  years. 

TERMS  OF  The  city  agrees  to  pay  $35,000,000  in  case  the  whole  of  the  road  is  con- 
CONTRACT 

structed,  and  other  specified  sums  in  case  it  should  determine  to  construct  less 
than  the  whole.  The  city  grants  to  the  contractor  the  right  to  construct  and 
operate  the  road  "free  of  all  right,  claim,  or  other  interference,  whether  by 
injunction,  suit  for  damages,  or  otherwise  on  the  part  of  any  abutting  owner  or 
other  person." 

All  the  exposed  parts  of  the  structure  are  to  be  designed,  constructed  and 
maintained  with  a  view  to  the  beauty  of  their  appearance  as  well  as  to  their 
efficiency,  and  the  work  is  to  be  done  in  substantial  manner  and  in  accordance 
with  the  specifications  embodied  in  the  contract.  The  contractor  is  to  make  all 
necessary  readjustment  of  pipes,  subways,  or  other  sub-surface  structures;  he 
must  attend  to  the  support,  including  luiderpinning  wherever  necessary,  of  all 
buildings,  monuments  and  elevated  and  surface  railways;  and  the  re-construc- 
tion of  street  pavements  and  surfaces.  These  are  declared  to  be  essential  parts  of 
the  construction  of  the  railway.  The  contractor  must  provide  a  complete  equip- 
ment for  the  railroad,  including  not  only  cars,  but  also  all  engines,  electric  wires, 
conduits,  power  houses,  and  Hghting,  signalling,  and  ventilating  apparatus. 
RIGHTS  OF  The  Board  reserves  the  right  during  the  progress  of  the  w-ork  to  amplify 
COMMISSION  (-j^g  plans,  to  add  explanatory  specifications,  and  to  furnish  additional  specifica- 
tions and  drawings.    It  also  reserves  the  right  to  require  additional  work  to  be 


112 


I'REI'AKISG  Tllli  SUBWAY  COST R ACT 


done,  on  paying  the  reasonable  value  thereof  to  the  contractor,  or  to  re(|uire 
work  to  be  omitted,  in  which  ca^c  a  reasonable  deduction  from  the  contract 
price  is  to  be  made.  The  contract  provides  for  the  thorough,  inspection  by  the 
Board  ot  all  materials  and  work  from  the  be.qinnint;-  of  their  manufacture  or 
preparation,  and  all  work  and  materials  are  subject  to  the  direction  and 
approval  of  the  Chief  Engineer  of  the  Board.  In  case  of  any  dispute  as  to  the 
obligation  of  the  contractor,  the  determination  of  the  engineer  is  to  be  so  far 
binding  that  the  contractor  must,  without  delay,  obey  his  reciuirements,  leaving 
open  the  question  as  to  his  right  to  receive  compensation  fur  additional  work. 
In  case  of  dispute  as  to  the  value  of  extra  work,  an  appeal  may  be  taken  from 
the  decision  of  the  engineer,  either  by  the  Board  oi'  the  contractor,  to  a  board  of 
arbitration  to  be  composed  as  provided  in  detail  in  the  contract. 

The  contractor  must  begin  work  within  30  days  after  the  execution  of  TIME 
the  contract,  and  complete  the  entire  road  within  4^  years.  If  not  completed 
within  that  time,  the  city  is  to  deduct  from  the  amount  due  the  contractor  2 
per  cent,  a  month  until  the  balances  are  finally  due.  In  case  the  contractor 
shall  be  delayed  by  injunction,  or  bv  strike,  or  by  any  mterference  of  public 
au.thority,  and  camiot  make  up  for  the  delay  so  occasioned  by  quicker  work, 
then  the  date  for  completion  may  be  extended  by  the  amount  of  time  of  such 
delay,  provided  written  notice  of  the  delav  is  given  in  each  case  by  the  con- 
tractor to  the  Board. 

The  contract  provides  that  the  citv  itself  shall  purchase  the  real  estate  for  TERMINALS 

1  •     1    ,  1  •  1  '     •  11  •  AND 

the  termmals  by  condemnation  or  otherwise,  and  the  contractor  is  to  construct  sy^^jiqns 

them  and  receive  the  cost  of  such  construction,  with  a  profit  of  10  per  cent. 
But  it  is  provided  that  the  total  amount  to  be  paid  by  the  city  for  the  terminals 
shall  in  no  case  exceed  $1,750,000.  This  amount  is  to  be  in  addition  to  the 
$35,000,000  paid  for  the  cost  of  construction.  It  is  also  provided  that  the  city 
shall,  if  necessary,  acquire  lands  for  stations  and  other  purposes  ot  the  rail- 
road in  an  amount  not  exceeding  $1,000,000,  and  that,  if  the  necessary  real 
estate  should  cost  more  than  that  sum,  such  excess  is  to  be  borne  by  the  con- 
tractor. 

The  payments  to  the  contractor  are  to  be  made  monthlv  u])on  written  requi-  PAYMENTS 
sitions,  accompanied  by  a  certificate  of  the  engineer  showing  the  proportion  of 
the  whole  work  actually  done.    The  Board  is  authorized  to  fix  the  amount  due  at 
such  sum  as  it  may  itself  determine  to  be  the  proper  actual  relative  value  of 
such  work  and  materials,  and  the  amount  so  certified  is  to  be  forthwith  paid  by 


"3 


RAPID  TRANSIT 


the  cit)'  to  the  contractor.  In  case  the  contractor  should  be  dissatisfied  with  the 
determination  of  the  Jioard,  an  appeal  may  be  taken  to  the  board  of  arbitration. 
When  two-thirds  of  the  work  in  value  has  been  finished,  the  contractor  must 
begin  to  provide  the  equipment,  and  to  have  such  equipment  ready  for  use  three 
months  in  advance  of  the  completion  of  the  road. 

CONTRACTOR         It  is  provided  that  "Idle  raihoad  is  to  be  constructed  for  actual  use  and 
TO  PROVIDE  .  ,  ,  ,         ,  , 

EQUIPMENT  op*"'''it'0"  an  mtra-urban  ranroad  of  the  highest  class,  adapted  to  the  neces- 
sities of  the  people  of  the  city  of  New  York.  .  .  .  The  contractor  shall  con- 
struct, complete,  and  fully  equip  the  railroad  in  the  best  manner  and  accord- 
ing to  the  best  rules  and  usages  of  railroad  construction,  so  that  the  railroad 
shall  be  thoroughly  fitted  for  safe,  continuous,  immediate,  and  full  opera- 
tion. ...  In  the  event  of  any  doubt  as  to  the  meaning  of  any  portion  or 
portions  of  the  specifications  or  contract  drawings,  or  of  the  text  of  the  con- 
tract, the  same  shall  be  interpreted  as  calling  for  the  best  construction,  both  as  to 
materials  and  workmanship,  capable  of  being  supplied  or  applied  under  the  then 
existing  local  conditions." 

CONTRACTOR         The  contractor  agrees  that  the  work  shall  be  done  without  fault  or  negli- 

TO  MAKE  gence  on  his  part,  and  that  it  shall  not  involve  anv  damage  to  the  foundation 
GOOD  ANY        „  ,  ,     ,.  ,  ,. 

DAMAGE  TO  ^^''^  '^^  Other  parts  of  adjacent  buildings  or  structures,  and  he  agrees,  at  his 

BUILDINGS,  own  expense,  to  make  good  any  damage  which  shall  be  done  in  the  course  of 
ETC 

construction.  He  further  agrees,  during  the  performance  of  the  work,  to  main- 
tain safely  the  traffic  on  all  streets,  to  take  all  necessary  precautions  to  place 
proper  safeguards  for  the  prevention  of  accidents,  and  to  exhibit  at  night  suit- 
able lights. 

CONTRACTOR         The  city  leases  to  the  contractor  the  whole  railroad  for  fifty  years  from  the 

TO  LEASE  ^jj^^g  q£  completion.    The  contractor  agrees  to  pay  as  rental  a  sum  equal  to  the 
ROAD  FOR  ^  .  . 

FIFTY  YEARS  interest  payable  by  the  city  upon  the  bonds  issued  by  it  to  provide  means  for 

construction,  and  also  one  per  cent,  upon  the  wdiole  amount  of  such  bonds — 
except  that  for  the  first  five  years  the  payment  is  not  to  be  made  unless  the  con- 
tractor's profits  amount  to  five  per  cent,  a  year — and  for  the  next  five  years  the 
payment  is  to  be  only  one-half  of  one  per  cent.,  unless  the  contractor's  profits 
amount  to  five  per  cent,  a  year.  The  contractor  covenants  to  operate  the  road 
according  to  the  highest  standards  of  railway  practice.  Local  trains  are  to 
run  at  an  average  speed,  stops  included,  of  not  less  than  14  miles  an  hour;  and 
express  trains  at  an  average  speed,  including  stops,  of  not  less  than  30  miles  an 


114 


y/vV'/'J/vVAc;  77//:  SClilf.lV  COXlh'.lCT 


hour.    Between  one  and  five  o'elock  in  llie  inorniiin  trains  arc  to  be  run,  stop- 
ping at  all  stations,  at  intervals  of  not  inori'  tli.ui  15  minutes. 

The  contraetor  aj^rees  to  save  llie  eilv  liarniless  frdiu  all  aeciiKnts,  aiul  to  CITY  NOT 

,  ■        .  ,  ...  ,         ,      LIABLE  FOR 

keej)  the  road  and  e(|Ui|)iueiU  ni  tliorc )U,<.;ii  repau',  so  llial  at  all  Inius  an<l  al  tlic  /OCCIDENTS 

termination  of  the  lease  the  road  shall  he  in  thoroughly  good  and  solid  eondition. 
and  fully -equipped  for  use.  Stations  and  ears  are  to  he  kept  lighted  and  heated  so 
that  passengers  may  conveniently  read.  The  waiting  rooms  are  to  be  kept  clean 
and  comfortable ;  proper  seating  capacity  is  to  be  i)rovi(led  and  good  drinking 
water,  as  also  sufficient  and  suitable  water  closets,  which  are  to  be  ke])t  in  a 
thoroughly  sanitary  condition.  AH  tunnels,  stations,  and  cars  are  to  be  thor- 
oughly ventilated  with  pure  air,  and  all  tunnels  are  to  be  thoroughly  lighted  at 
all  times,  so  as  to  permit  the  tracks,  walls  and  roofs  to  be  clearly  visible  for 
inspection. 

The  motive  ])ower  is  to  be  electricitv  or  compressed  air ;  but  it  is  provided  MOTIVE 
...  '       .  .  POWER  TO 

that  if,  m  the  future  development  of  the  raUroail  art,  any  method  ot  generat-  g£  ELECTRIC 

ing  or  transmitting  power  superior  to  electricity,  and  involving  no  injury  to  the  OR  COM- 

purity  of  the  atmosphere  in  the  tunnels  or  cars,  shall  be  discovered  to  be  prac-  '^'^^^S^'-' 

ticable,  then  the  contractor  shall  have  the  right  to  adopt  such  method,  if 

approvcil  by  the  Board,  on  two  months'  notice.    The  contractor  nuist  provide 

rolling  stock  of  the  best  character  known  at  the  time,  and  the  Board  reserves 

the  right  to  make  good  any  neglect  on  this  point  of  which  the  contractor  may  be 

guilty.    The  rolling  stock  is  to  be  adequate  to  the  requirements  of  the  traveling 

public,  and  a  schedule  is  to  be  filed  every  six  months  showing  in  detail  all  the 

equipment  owned  by  the  contractor. 

The  contractor  is  to  charge  for  a  single  fare  not  more  than  5  cents;  but  it  is  FARE 
provided  that  he  "may  provide  additional  conveniences  for  such  passengers  as 
shall  desire  the  same  upon  not  to  exceed  one  car  upon  each  train,  and  may  col- 
lect from  each  passenger  in  such  car  a  reasonable  charge  for  such  additional 
convenience  furnished  by  him,  provided  that  the  amount  to  be  charged  therefor 
and  the  character  of  such  additional  conveniences  shall,  from  time  to  time,  be 
subject  to  the  approval  of  the  Board." 

At  the  option  of  the  contractor  a  new  lease  of  the  road  is  to  be  granted  to  RENEWAL  OF 
him  for  a  period  of  25  years  from  the  expiration  of  the  lease  provided  for  in  the  '-^'^^^ 
contract.    This  lease  is  to  be  in  the  same  general  form,  but  the  rent  is  to  be  an 
amount  to  be  agreed  upon,  not  less  than  the  average  amount  of  the  annual  rental 

"S 


'      h'.ii'in  ih-.ixMi 

for  the  last  ten  years  of  the  lease.  In  case  of  failure  to  aj^ree  upon  the  rental,  it 
is  to  he  (leterminecl,  suhject  to  such  niiniiuuni,  hy  arhilration. 

At  the  final  termination  of  the  lease  tiie  city  is  to  huy  the  e(|ui])nient  at  a 
price  to  he  fixed  hy  agreement  or  arhitration  ;  hut  at  the  termination  of  the 
lease,  even  though  the  price  has  not  been  determined  on.  the  equipment  is  to  be 
turned  over  to  the  city  for  use,  suhject  to  the  future  adjustment  of  the 
amount  to  he  paid. 

BONDS  OF  p'or  the  construction  of  ttie  road  the  contractor  must  derx-sit  with  the  Comp- 

CONTRAGTOR  ,  ,  ^  ,  , 

troller  the  sum  of  $1,000,000  cash.    Ju  case  ot  an\-  default  on  the  ])art  of  the 

contractor,  and  in  case  the  city  shall,  hy  reason  of  such  default,  incur  any 

expense,  the  amount  of  such  expense  shall  he  taken   from  the  above  sum, 

Slu)uld  such  a  condition  arise,  the  contractor  must,  within  ten  davs  of  ntjtice 

from  the  Comptroller,  restore  the  deposit  to  the  original  amount,     h'or  the  full 

and  complete  performance  of  the  contract,  and  the  construction  and  o])eration  of 

the  road,  a  continuing  bond  of  $5,000,000  is  required. 

in  -May,  i8(jg,  Morris  K.  Jesup  was  elected  president  of  the  Chamber  of 
Commerce,  and  thus  succeeded  Alexander  E.  ( )rr  as  an  cx-officio  member  of  the 
Board.  At  the  first  meeting  of  the  lioard  held  thereafter  John  Clafiin 
resigned  as  a  member,  and  Mr.  Orr  was  immediatelv  re-elected  as  his  successor. 
At  the  same  meeting  Lewis  L.  Delafield,  secretary  of  the  T^)Oard,  resigned,  and 
shortly  after  I'ion  L.  i)Urrows.  the  preseiit  secretary,  was  appointed. 

The  organization  ado])ted  by  the  Board  for  its  engineering  staff  consisted  of  a 
chief  engineer.  \\m.  Barclay  Parsons:  a  dei)uty  chief  engineer,  Geo.  S.  Rice; 
six  division  engineers,  five  genera!  ins])ectors.  a  p-rivate  secretarv,  an  auditor, 
and  a  jjhotographer. 


OBSTACLES  The  foregoing  fails  to  convey  even  a  faint  conception  of  the  discouraging 

I N  P/i  TH  O  F 

delavs  that  continuallv  beset  all  efforts  of  the  Rapid  Transit  Commission  to 
COMMISSION  ■  .      '  .       .  \ 

accomplish  the  object  for  which  it  was  created.     \o  sooner  was  one  obstacle 

surmounted  than  another,  perhaps  more  formidable,  was  presented.  This  con- 
stant changing  of  the  aspect  of  the  question  made  necessary  repeated  revisions 
and  alterations  of  the  plans,  all  of  which  took  time.  Although  there  was  an 
imperative  demand  for  rapid  transit  by  the  people,  who  had  by  a  large  major- 
ity of  their  votes  sanctioned  municipal  ownership,  the  city  authorities  and  the 
courts  were  indisposed  to  promote  the  purpose.    Neither  the  ^lanhattan  nor  the 


116 


I  III-:    Sriili'.l)'  COMh'.lCI 


Metropolitan  Com])any  seemed  at  all  anxious  to  provide  inereased  facilities, 
unless  such  facilities  could  he  ijiven  upon  its  own  terms.  It  would  seem  as  if 
the  former  com])any  had  l)ec(>nu-  convinced  that  no  sciunie  of  rapid  transit 
cotdd  he  carried  to  successful  coini)letion  without  its  assistance,  and  that  if  the 
plans  of  the  Commission  could  he  delayed  long  enough  to  thoroughly  dishearten 
the  Commission  and  the  people,  it  would  have  the  o])portunity  of  providing  rajiid 
transit  according  to  its  own  plans  and  desires. 


ENTHANCK.    PAKIS  SUBWAY. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


CONTRACT  AWARDED  AND  WORK  BEGUN. 


The.  legal  and  financial  difficulties  which  had  so  long-  prevented  active  steps 
having  been  overcome  during  the  fall  of  i8<;o,  the  Board  decided,  in  November  of 
that  year,  to  advertise  the  contract  as  provided  by  law.  Jn  order  not  to  exceed 
the  limit  of  the  debt-incurring  capacity  of  the  city,  bids  were  invited  on  the  basis 
of  dividing  the  whole  route  into  four  sections,  the  right  being  reserved  by  the 
Board  to  award  contracts  for  the  several  sections,  beginning  with  the  first,  at  inter- 
vals of  not  more  than  one  year.  The  several  sections  and  their  lengths  were  as 
follows : 

ROUTE         Section  i. — From  the  southern  terminus  at  the  City  Hall  to  and  including  a 
DIVIDED  INTO         .  .    ,  ,  ,  .,        ,  ,  , 

FOUR  station  at  riity-nmth  street  and  Broadway;  5  miles  of  4-track  subway. 

SECTIONS         Section  2. — All  of  the  railroad  on  the  north  of  such  station  at  Fifty-ninth 

street,  to  and  including  a  station  at  the  intersection  of  Onc-hundred-and-thirty- 

seventh  street  and  Broadway  ;  and  on  the  East  Side  from  the  junction  at  One- 

hundred-and-third  street  and  liroadway  to  and  including  a  station  at  One-hun- 

dred-and-thirty-fifth  street  and  Lenox  avenue;   3.43  miles  of  2-track:  subway, 

and  0.51  miles  of  2-track  viaduct. 

Section  3. — All  of  the  railroad  on  the  West  Side  north  from  a  station  at  One- 
hundred-and-thirty-seventh  street  to  and  including  a  station  at  Fort  George ; 
and  on  the  East  Side  from  a  station  at  One-hundred-and-thirty-fifth  street  to 
and  including  a  station  at  Melrose  avenue ;  4.32  miles  of  2-track  subway. 

Section  4. — The  remainder  of  the  railroad  from  Fort  George  to  Kingsbridge, 
and  from  Alelrose  avenue  to  Bronx  Park  ;  5.29  miles  of  2-track  viaduct. 

At  noon  on  January  15,  igoo,  two  bids  were  opened  in  the  office  of  the  Board, 
in  the  presence  of  all  the  Commissioners. 

The  first  was  that  of  John  B.  McDonald,  of  New  York,  as  follows : 

AMOUNTS         If  for  Section  i,  $15,000,000 

OF  BIDS  j£         5^(-j-jQj-,g  J  2,  26,000,000 

If  for  Sections  i,  2  and  3,  32,000,000 

118 


CONTRACT  AWARDED  AND  WORK  BEGUN 


If  for  all  four  sections,  $35,000,000 

Equipment — estimated  at   6,000,000 

The  second  was  by  Andrew  Onderdonk,  of  New  York,  as  follows : 

If  for  Section  i,   $17,000,000 

If  for  Sections  i  and  2,   28,000,000 

If  for  Sections  i,  2  and  3   35,500,000 

If  for  all  four  sections,   39,300,000 

Percentage — 5%  on  first  million  after  $5,000,000  of  gross  receipts,  and  2|% 
for  each  added  million  thereafter  up  to  a  maximum  of  15%. 

Equipment — estimated  at  $6,000,000 

After  a  full  investigation  of  the  comparative  merits  of  these  two  bids,  the  CONTRACT 
Board  on  January  16,  all  the  Commissioners  being  present,  unanimously  voted  AWARDED 
that  it  would  be  for  the  best  interests  of  the  city  to  accept  the  proposal  of  Mr. 
McDonald ;  and  at  the  same  time  the  Board  directed  that  the  President  should,  in 
the  name  of  the  Board,  exercise  the  option  reserved  to  the  city  by  the  contract  for 
the  construction  and  operation  of  Sections  2,  3  and  4,  as  well  as  Section  i.  In 
accordance  with  this  decision,  the  contract  for  the  whole  line  was  signed  and  exe- 
cuted P"ebruary  21,  1900. 

Even  after  Mr.  McDonald  had  been  notified  that  his  bid  had  been  accepted,  it 
was  by  no  means  certain  that  the  contract  would  be  executed  by  him.  He  was 
required  to  furnish  a  continuing  bond  for  the  payment  of  rent,  etc.,  in  the  sum  of 
$1,000,000,  and  at  the  same  time  deposit  with  the  comptroller  securities  of  the 
value  of  $1,000,000,  which  were  ultimately  to  be  substituted  for  the  bond  of  that 
amount.    A  construction  bond  of  $5,000,000  was  also  required. 

When  the  bid  was  accepted  by  the  city,  no  provision  had  been  made  for  the 
capital  necessary  to  execute  the  contract.  Mr.  McDonald's  efiforts  to  obtain  finan- 
cial assistance  from  the  surety  companies  failed.  Although  the  plans  had  been 
pronounced  feasible,  capitalists  were  timid  about  investing.  This  was  due,  not  so 
nmch  to  the  magnitude  of  the  sum  needed  to  build  the  road,  as  to  feelings  of  uncer- 
tainty regarding  its  earning  power  when  completed.  The  scheme  was  regarded 
as  a  colossal  experiment. 

A  few  days  before  the  expiration  of  the  limit  of  time,  Mr.  McDonald  sought  AUGUST 
the  assistance  of  August  Belmont.    Mr.  Belmont  took  the  matter  up  with  the  BELMONT 
Rapid  Transit  Commission,  to  whom  he  proposed  a  plan  for  the  incorporation  of 


RAI'ID  r  RAN  SIT 


a  company  to  obtain  the  security  rc(|uirc(l,  to  provide  the  capital  for  the  under- 
taking, and  to  assume  control  of  the  entire  work.  Application  was  made  to  the 
Supreme  Court  to  change  the  ruling  retjuiring  sureties  to  justify  in  double  the 
amount  of  the  bond,  and  to  reduce  the  minimum  amomit  of  surety  to  be  taken  from 
$500,000  to  $250,000.     This  application  the  Court  granted. 

CONSTRUC-  The  Rapid  Transit  Subway  Construction  Company*  was  organized  with  a 
COMPANY  ^"'P'^^^      $6,000,000.  the  incorporators  being  Charles  T.  Barney,  August  Belmont, 

ORGANIZED  John  I!.  iMcr:)onald,  Walter  G.  Oakman  and  William  A.  Read.  This  corporation 
executed  a  bond  for  $4,000,000,  the  additional  sum  of  $1,000,000  being  furnished 
by  others. 

SUBLETTING  Immediately  after  signing  the  contract,  the  contractor  sublet  the  work  to 

fifteen  different  companies,  each  of  whom  executed  a  bond  for  faithful  i)erform- 
ance  of  the  stipulations.  In  arldition  the  city  had  a  first  lien  upon  the  entire  equip- 
ment of  the  railroad,  so  that  it  was  protected  in  every  possible  way. 

On  March  24,  1900,  the  work  of  construction  of  the  Rapid  Transit  Railroad 
was  formally  begun  in  front  of  the  City  Hall,  the  Mayor  of  the  city  turning  the 
first  spadeful  of  earth. 

WORK  During  the  year  1900  no  work  was  done  on  the  first  section,  as  the  plans  were 

DURING  1900  j^^.jj^j^  modified.   The  loop  at  this  point,  as  orginally  laid  out,  encircled  the  Post  Office. 

At  the  suggestion  of  the  construction  company  it  was  finally  decided  to  shorten 
and  simplify  the  construction  at  this  point  by  having  the  loop  turn  north  instead 
of  south  of  the  Post  Office,  and  so  arranged  that  local  trains  could  all  be  turned 
around  the  single  track  loop  thus  laid-out,  passing  under  the  express  lines  at  Park 
row  without  crossing  at  grade ;  or  along  Park  row  to  connect  with  an  extension 
south  under  Broadway  if  one  should  be  built.  The  express  tracks  under  Park 
row  were  designed  to  permit  express  trains  to  continue  along  a  possible  Broadway 
extension  or  be  switched  back  through  a  "tail  track."  A  station  on  the  loop  was 
located  in  Cit\-  Hall  Park  so  as  to  be  conveniently  reached  from  points  to  the  west 
and  south,  and  relieve  the  pressure  at  the  Brooklyn  Bridge  station.  Actual  con- 
struction was  begun  on  this  section  in  ]\larch,  1901.  During  the  previous  year 
work  had  been  started  on  the  other  sections. 


*This  was  the  constructing  company.  The  Interborougli  Rapid  Transit  Company,  th'; 
operaling  company,  was  formed  in  the  spring  of  1902,  the  incorporators  being:  W.  H.  Bald- 
win, Jr.,  C.  T.  Barney,  August  Belmont,  E.  P.  Bryan.  Andrew  Freedman,  James  Jourdan. 
G.  M.  Lane,  John  B.  McDonald,  DeLancey  Nicoll,  W.  G.  Oakman,  John  Peirce,  W.  A.  Read, 
Cornelius  Vanderbilt,  G.  W.  Wickersham,  and  G.  W.  Young.  In  January,  1903,  this  company 
acquired  the  elevated  railway  system  from  the  Manhattan  Company  by  lease  for  999  years. 


120 


c'ox'i'h'.iCT  .III  .ik'ni  n  .i\n  iroh-K  niiCUN 

Markinjj;  tlic  >\w{  in  front  nf  tlic  ("ity  llall  wlicn-  the  first  excavation  was 
nuuk'  is  a  lahU't  Ijrarintj  the  fnlli lu  int:^  inscrijilion  ; 

"At  this  place,  24  March,  i<>()(),  linn.  Kohtrt  A.  \  an  W'yck 
made  the  first  excavation  for  the  nndert^ronnd  railway.  Rapid 
Transit  Commission,  .\lexander  1'-.  (  )rr.  President;  John  11. 
Starin,  Woodhnry  Lan^don,  (jeorge  L.  Rives,  Charles  Stew-art 
Smith,  Morris  K.  Jesn]).  Rohert  A.  A'an  Wyck,  Mayor:  l)ird 
S.  C'oler,  Comptroller.  Wm.  i!arclay  Tarsons.  Chief  Kngineer. 
Contractor,  John  1!.  McDonald.  Ra])id  'iVansit  Snhway  Con- 
struction Comjiany,  August  llelmont.  |)resident. 


TUNNEL     .»PPRO.\CH,     I23D     ST.,      .N .     V.  SUBWAY. 


121 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


ENGINEERING  FEATURES  OF  NEW  YORK  SUBWAY.* 


Before  the  lcttin<j;-  of  the  contract  for  the  construction  of  the  subway,  the 
Board  of  Rapid  'lYansit  Commissioners  had  i)re])arcd  complete  plans  for  a  rail- 
road, havino-  Broadway  from  Forty-second  street  to  the  Battery  as  a  portion  of 
the  route.  The  adverse  decision  of  the  Appellate  Division  of  the  Supreme  Court 
prevented  the  use  of  that  thoroughfare.  The  preliminary  investigations  cov- 
ered the  underground  conditions  of  all  that  portion  of  the  city  traversed  by  the 
route  in  regard  to  soil,  foundations,  pipes,  sewers,  and  other  sulj-surface  struc- 
tures. As  a  result  of  these  studies  the  Board  reached  the  following  general 
conclusions : 

CONCLUSIONS         First,  that,  in  order  to  relieve  the  congestion  of  travel,  there  was  needed  a 
F  B  ARD  j.-jii\y^y  located  either  directly  along  or  as  near  as  possible  to  the  major  lines  of 
travel. 

Second,  that,  in  order  to  bring  the  extreme  limits  of  the  city  into  closer 
relations,  provision  must  be  made  for  the  running  of  trains  at  higher  speed 
than  was  possible  on  any  existing  elevated  railway  in  New  York,  or  in  fact  on 
any  intra-urban  railway  in  any  other  city. 

Third,  that  underground  construction  should  only  be  considered  for  those 
portions  of  the  route  along  important  thoroughfares ;  and. 

Fourth,  that  a  route  through  private  property  in  the  lower  portion  of  the 
city  w'as  neither  feasible  nor  economical. 

It  was  evident  that  these  conclusions  could  only  be  secured  by  the  adop- 
tion of  a  route  near  to  and  parallel  with  Broadway ;  that  in  general  it  must  fol- 
low street  lines ;  and  that  it  must  be  an  underground  road  of  four  tracks. 
SHALLOW         The  subway  is,  as  far  as  possible,  of  the  shallow-excavation  type ;  that  is, 
EX  AVATI  N  ^j^^  ^^.j  jg^gj  jg      close  to  the  surface  of  the  street  as  grades  and  local  condi- 
tions permit.    The  design  rec[uired  a  flat  roof  in  order  to  avoid  the  loss  of 


TYPE 


*  Most  of  the  information  in  this  chapter  is  from  the  reports  issued  by  the  Rapid  Transit 


Commission 


122 


HNGINIiliKING  l-Li.lli'KliS  OP  NlilV  YORK  SIJBIVAY 


headroom  of  an  arch,  and  a  rc-adjustnicnt  of  all  sewers,  pipes,  and  the  like 
underground  structures.  This  type  had  been  adopted  by  the  Glasgow  Central 
Railway,  the  R.ipid  Transit  Commission  of  iS<)i,  the  I'oston  Transit  Commis- 
sion, and  in  l'>uda])est,  Hungary.  Heretofore  railways  of  this  kind  have  i)ro- 
vided  a  single  service,  with  all  trains  stofjping  at  all  stations,  a  limited  express 
service  being  sometimes  obtained  by  a  third  track,  on  which  trains  could  run  in 
the  direction  of  the  heaviest  travel,  and  stop  at  longer  intervals  than  the  others. 
The  disadvantages  of  this  system  were  obvious,  and  the  Board  decided  that  the 
subway  should  represent  a  step  in  advance.  It  was  therefore  determined  to  con- 
struct four  tracks  over  that  part  of  the  route  where  the  traffic  was  greatest,  and 
two  and  three  tracks  along  the  remainder. 

In  1807,  "when  the  court  decided  against  the  Broadway  line,  the  proceed-  ELM  STREET 
ings  relating  to  the  widening  of  Elm  street  had  been  finished,  and  that  route 
suggested  itself  as  an  alternative.  In  January  and  February,  1897,  plans  were 
adopted  by  the  Board.  In  order  that  the  cost  might  not  exceed  $35,000,000, 
the  southern  terminus  was  fixed  at  the  Post  Office,  and  four  tracks  were  laid 
along  Park  row.  Center,  and  Elm  streets,  Lafayette  place,  Fourth  avenue.  Forty- 
second  street,  and  Broadway  to  One-hundred-and-fourth  street.  The  line  divided 
at  this  point,  the  west  side  extending  to  Kingsbridge  and  the  east  side  to  Bronx 
Park.  The  route  having  been  decided  upon,  an  investigation  was  made  of  the 
topographical  and  geological  features,  the  foundations  of  buildings,  sewers, 
water  and  gas  pipes,  conduits,  etc.  South  of  Astor  place  the  soil  was  for  the 
most  part  coarse  sand ;  to  the  north  it  was  gneiss  rock  and  gravel.  The  most 
serious  part  of  the  problem  was  the  handling  of-  the  different  underground 
structures.  The  sewerage  system  of  New  York  is  the  "combined"  system,  by 
which  both  house  drainage  and  rainfall  are  carried  away.  These,  together  with 
the  sewers,  pipes,  and  conduits,  were  almost  all  near  the  surface.  All  of  these 
had  to  be  kept  in  service  and  most  of  them  moved  to  new  locations  without 
interruption  of  their  operation. 

While  the  larger  portion  of  the  route  was  placed  practically  parallel  with  ROUTES 
the  street  surface,  this  was  not  possible  in  some  localities.  In  order  to  avoid 
interference  with  the  Fourth  avenue  tunnel  of  the  Metropolitan  Raihvay,  the 
subway  w^as  divided  from  Thirty-third  street  north  into  two  two-track  tunnels, 
one  at  each  side  of,  but  below  the  street-car  tunnel.  In  order  to  overcome 
depressions,  viaducts  were  adopted  on  the  west  side  between  One-hundred-and- 
twenty-second  street  and  One-hundred-and-thirty-fifth  street  and  north  of  Fort 


123 


I'hotc)  liy  Davis  \-  Saiitoid.  \.  V. 

WM.  BARCLAY  PARSONS. 
I'oK.MEK  Chief  1'.x(;ineer  R.\riu  Transit  Commission. 


J:.\l,l.\/:l:h'l.\(,    l^l-.liURI'S   (>!■  YORK  SUBWAY 

i 

George,  and  on  the  east  side  north  of  Third  avenue.  'I'lie  ienj^tli  of  each  type  of 
construction  was  as  follows:  Cut-and-cover,  i().4()  miles;  tunnel,  4.55  miles; 
viaduct,  5.S  miles. 

Tlu'  allowed  limit  of  clear;mce  hrlween  the  street  surface  and  the  top  of  TYPE  OF 
the  suhway  was  30  inches,  that  being  the  depth  of  the  yokes  of  the  conduits  of  TUNNEL 
the  electric  railways.  The  roof  was  made  as  thin  as  possible.  To  further  this 
aim  columns  were  introduced  between  each  track,  so  that  the  roof  beams  required 
were  onlv  heavy  enough  to  S]);m  a  single  track,  an  arrangement  tliat  would  be 
economical  and  that,  by  making  the  indi\  idual  members  smaller,  would  facili- 
tate construction.  The  standard  type  was  a  rectangular  tunnel  consisting  of  a 
concrete  floor  with  steel  ribs  set  five  feet  apart,  with  arches  turned  between 
them.  A  bed  of  con.crete  was  first  laid  down,  and  on  that  thin  side  walls  of 
hollow  brick  to  a  height  of  several  feet.  On  the  floor  and  against  the  walls 
was  laid  a  waterproofing  of  alternate  lawyers  of  felt  and  asphalt.  (Jn  top  of  this 
was  spread  another  course  of  concrete,  and  on  the  latter  were  set  the  folinda- 
tions  for  the  center  columns  and  wails.  A  double  row  of  terra-cotta  ducts 
was  placed  against  the  walls,  a  hollow  brick  outer  wall  witli  the  waterproofing 
being  carried  up  in  advance.  Then  the  steel  frames  were  erected,  the  jack 
arches  turned,  and  the  waterproofing  spread  over  the  roof,  over  which  was 
laid  a  protecting  layer  of  concrete.  The  waterproofing  was  thus  protected  from 
outside  damage  by  the  thin  guard-walls  of  brick  and  the  top  layer  of  concrete. 
An  admirable  feature  of  the  design  was  that  it  could  be  constructed  in  sections 
for  either  the  full  or  part  width,  with  the  certaintv  that  the  several  sections 
would  fit  together,  the  connections  between  tlie  rigid  members  being  made  of 
plastic  and  casilv  molded  concrete. 

The  sections  of  the  tunnels,  with  the  exception  of  the  Murray-Hill  tunnel, 
which  was  a  three-center  arch  designed  in  order  to  lower  the  roof,  were  semi- 
circular. The  same  section  was  used  in  certain  deep  cuttings  in  the  two-track 
lines,  where  the  space  above  the  roof  permitted  an  arch  to  be  constructed.  In 
these  instances  an  arch  was  found  m')re  economical  than  steel  frames. 

In  the  standard  construction  the  center  columns  were  made  up  of  4  bulb  STANDARD 
angles,  3  by  4  inches,  by  to  pounds  per  foot,  and  one  w'eb  plate  6  bv-  ^  inches,  j^^^''"'^'^^ 
These  were  spaced  5  feet  longitudinally  of  the  subway  and  12  feet  6  inches 
transversely,  making  the  total  width  of  the  four-track  tunnel  50  feet.    The  roof 
beams  were  42,  60  and  70  pounds,  according  to  the  location.    The  Park  avenue 
tunnels  were  24  feet  in  width  by  18  feet  in  center  height,  the  tracks  being  12 


125 


GEORGE  S.  RICE. 

CHIEF   ENGINEER   RAPID   TRANSIT  COMMISSION. 


ENGINEERIXa  !■  i'.ATV RliS  OP  NEW  YORK  SUBWAY. 


feet  center  to  center.  The  deep  tunnels  were  25  feel  wide  Ijy  iS  liij^li. 
]n  its  general  features  tlie  steel  viaduct  was  similar  to  other  elevated  rail- 
ways, excej)t  that  it  was  nuich  stronj^cr  in  order  to  provide  for  tiie  wei.^ht  of 
motor  cars  of  50  tons. 

As  the  sewers  in  the  city  are  commonly  placed  at  a  depth  of  about  13  feet,  SEWERS 
and  as  the  excavation  for  the  tunnel  was  to  he  over  18  feet  at  the  minimum,  it 
folli)wed  that  a  ciini|)lete  reconstruction  of  the  system  was  necessary,  involving 
the  buildinc;  of  7.21  miles  of  sewers  along  the  route  of  the  railway,  and  5.13 
miles  of  sewers  in  streets  other  than  that  followed  by  the  route.  Where  sewers 
were  encountered  along  the  route,  the  method  was  to  build  two  new  sewers, 
one  at  each  side  of  the  railway  and  next  to  the  abutting  houses,  and  to  diminish  to 
the  minimum  all  cross-connections  either  over  or  under  the  railway.  Where 
they  crossed  the  route  they  were  gathered  together  and  passed  beneath  the  rail- 
way in  iron  pipes,  and  a  new  outfall  sewer  built  from  the  lower  end  of  the  cross- 
connection  on  a  new  gradient  to  such  a  point  as  was  rendered  necessary  by  the 
topography  of  the  street  to  make  a  new  connection  with  the  existing  system. 
This  did  away  with  all  siphons,  vvitli  one  exception,  and  left  the  sewers  in  a 
self-cleansing  condition.  As  the  sewer  at  Canal  street  was  below  tidewater, 
such  a  scheme  was  not  possible.  In  that  case  a  new  route  was  selected  for  a 
new  sewer,  and  the  flow  diverted  to  the  East  River  instead  of  the  Hudson,  as 
formerly. 

Taking  care  of  the  pipes  was  a  troublesome  task.  In  general,  the  small  GAS  AND 
ones,  those  of  12  inches  in  diameter  and  under,  were  placed  on  top  of  the  roof,  ^'^^^^  ^ 
but  the  large  mains  were  moved  to  the  side  of  the  subway  wherever  there  was 
not  sufficient  space  on  top.  At  cross  streets  where  the  distance  between  the 
pavement  and  roof  was  insufficient  to  allow  the  longitudinal  and  lateral  mains  to 
cross  each  other,  additional  space  was  obtained  bv  constructing  a  flat  metal 
trough  between  adjacent  roof  beams  and  laying  the  lateral  mains  in  it.  When 
this  space  was  not  sufficient,  the  large  mains  were  sub-divided  into  smaller  pipes, 
equal  in  capacity  to  the  large  one.  The  bottom  of  the  trough  was  made  of  3-inch 
beams  resting  on  the  flanges  of  the  roof  beams,  with  concrete  between.  In 
extreme  cases  where  every  inch  had  to  be  saved  a  steel  plate  was  set  flush  with 
the  bottom  flanges  of  the  roof  beams  and  supported  by  angles  along  the  edges. 

Almost  all  of  the  sewer  and  pipe  work  v/as  preliminary  to  the  building  of 
the  subway.  The  reconstruction  was  accomplished  without  interrupting  the 
flow  of  any  house  connection,  catch  basin,  or  other  sewer. 


127 


ILNCIXlil'I^IXa  I-liA'lURES  OJ'  N lilV  YORK  SUBW  AY 


METHOD  OF  Under  I'ark  row  it  had  been  planned  to  permit  express  trains  to  continue 
WORKING  ai(j,ig  a  possible  Broadway  extension  south,  or  to  be  switched  back  throus^h  a 
tail  track.  A  station  on  the  loop  was  located  in  City  Hall  i'ark,  so  as  to  be 
conveniently  reached  from  all  points,  and  thereby  relieve  the  pressure  at  the 
Brooklyn  Bridge  station.  The  construction  was  carried  forward  by  digging  a 
trench  on  either  side  of  the  four  surface  tracks  (electric  conduit)  down  to 
grade.  Cross  drifts  were  then  tunneled  beneath  the  tracks  connecting  the 
trenches,  and  in  these  drifts  limber  supports  were  erected  beneath  the  surface 
tracks.  Then  the  intervening  pillars  of  unexcavated  sand  were  removed  and 
the  roof  supported  by  timber  ])roj)s.  The  concrete  floor  and  walls  were  then 
put  in  and  the  steel  erected.  This  method  was  followed  with  but  slight 
changes  in  all  localities  where  similar  materia!  was  encountered.  As  l"".lm  street 
had  not  been  officially  opened  for  traffic,  the  sub-contractor  availed  himself  of 
permission  to  take  the  whole  width  of  the  street  and  excavate  for  the  entire 
structure. 

OPEN  CUT  TW  section  from  Lafavelte  place  to  Thirt\ -third  street  ])reseiUed  consider- 
THROUGH    ,  ,  ,  .  ,    ■  ,  , 

ROGK  dirnculty,  ownig  to  the  ]:)rescnce  of  rock  whuii  m  some  ])laces  came  directly 

beneath  the  yokes  of  the  electric  railway.  At  first  the  attempt  was  made  to 
excavate  half  the  street  at  a  time,  confining  the  traffic  to  the  other  half.  It 
was  found  that  this  produced  almost  as  much  interference  with  traffic  as  the 
building  of  two  railways.  The  sub-contractors  were  then  permitted  to  excavate 
for  the  full  width  of  the  four  tracks,  sui)])orting  the  surface  tracks  over  the 
cut,  concentrating  the  vehicular  traffic  on  the  same  space  and  cutting  of?  for 
the  time  being  access  to  the  abuttir.g  houses  of  each  block.  Arrangements  were 
made  to  bridge  the  excavation  at  important  buildings,  and  to  truck  merchan- 
dise by  hand  ncirth  or  south  to  the  nearest  cross  street.  In  order  to  support  the 
surface  railway  the  contractors  placed  on  the  outside  of  the  track  and  imme- 
diately at  the  side  of  the  excavation  a  pair  of  24-inch  rolled  beams  40  feet  long, 
and  a  similar  pair  in  the  trench  between  the  surface  railway  tracks,  this  trench 
being  afterward  roofed  over  with  planks.  The  ends  of  the  beams  were  su])- 
ported  on  wooden  trestles.  As  the  excavation  progressed,  heavy  timber 
cross  beams  were  inserted  transversely  beneath  the  surface  tracks,  and  held  by 
rods  from  the  longitudinal  beaiTis.  With  this  arrangement  it  was  possible  to 
remove  all  the  earth  beneath  the  railway  and  thus  leave  the  whole  space  from 
the  curb  to  a  point  beyond  the  center  line  of  the  street  free  for  the  constru- 
tion  of  the  subwav.    The  width  tlius  secured  was  sufficient  to  put  in  place  the 


128 


RAFW  TRANSIT 


UNION 
SQUARE 


center  row  of  columns.  Water  mains,  t;as  pipes,  and  electric  conduits  in  the 
excavation  were  supported  by  chains  from  cross  timl)ers.  To  remove  the 
excavated  material,  an  overhead  cablevvay  on  towers  was  erected  longitu- 
dinally of  the  cut  at  each  opening;  or,  where  rock  was  found  in  quantities,  a 
derrick  was  set  up.  Buckets  on  the  cahleway  carried  the  soil  forward  to  the 
end  of  the  cut  and  there  dropped  it  into  carts.  'Jdie  ai)])liances  necessary  for 
handling  material  took  up  no  more  room  than  the  width  of  the  excavation 
itself. 

WORK  AT  At  Union  .S(|uare,  where  the  surface  road  was  laid  directly  on  the  rock,  it 
was  decided  to  move  the  surface  tracks  to  a  new  location  near  the  easterly 
curb,  in  order  to  avoid  the  possibility  of  injuring  tluin  during  blasting.  Suffi- 
cient rock  was  blasted  out  for  the  south  bound  local  and  express  tracks,  and  for 
the  intermediate  side  track  to  be  constructed  at  tliis  ])oint.  The  ducts  of  the 
street  railway,  which  had  to  be  kept  in  service  in  connection  with  the  tracks 
themselves,  contained  not  only  the  ordinary  low  tension  feeders,  but  also  high 
tension  cables  having  a  pressure  of  6,500  volts^aeh.  Although  in  many  cases 
the  rock  had  to  be  blasted  in  direct  contact  with  these  ducts,  in  no  instance  were 
the  cables  bn^ken  or  the  service  of  the  road  interru])ted. 

Except  for  a  short  distance  at  its  southern  end,  the  length  known  as  Sec- 
tion 4  was  wholly  in  tunnel.  It  was  impossible  to  build  the  four  tracks  of  the 
subway  in  one  tunnel,  for  the  reason  that  if  this  had  been  tried  the  arched  roof 
would  have  interfered  with  the  old  Harlem  tun.nel  used  by  the  Metropolitan 
Railway.  Two  double-track  tunnels  were  built  instead.  These  were  separated  a 
sufficient  distance  to  leave  a  core  of  rock  between  them  and  directly  under  the 
old  tunnel.  In  order  that  these  tunnels  might  be  kept  as  far  away  from  the 
upper  tunnel  as  possible,  the  roof  section  was  designed  as  a  three-center  arch. 
The  common  shaft  method  of  tunneling  was  here  followed,  but  the  same 
method  of  driving  was  not  employed  in  the  two  headings.  Where  the  rock  was 
hard  and  compact  enough  to  be  self-supporting  a  top  heading  was  advanced;  in 
soft,  disintegrated  rock  an  upper  heading  and  timbering  were  used. 

FORTY-SEC-  'Pile  section  from  Fortv-first  to  Fortv-seventh  street  presented  some  unusual 
OND  STREET    ,  t  1        ,         ^  ,         V  ,  „  ■ 

features.    In  order  that  the  travel  on  Jborty-second  street,  at  all  tnnes  very 

hea\w,  might  be  interfered  with  as  little  as  possible,  the  operations  were  first 
confined  to  the  south  side  of  the  street.  In  a  trench  15  feet  wide  the  steel  work 
for  the  south  bound  local  track  was  erected.  A  drift  was  then  opened  north- 
across  the  street — for  a  distance  of  20  feet  and  needle  beams,  consisting  of  24- 


130 


ENGINEERING  EEATURES  OF  NEW  YORK  SUBWAY 


inch  lOO-pound  steel  beams,  \vcro  i)laccd  in  it,  one  end  resting  on  the  completed 
roof  and  the  other  on  the  undisturbed  rock.  The  street  was  supported  on  these 
beams  by  blocking.  Beneath  the  beams  the  rock  was  excavated  and  the  south- 
bound express  track  built. 

The  section  from  l'"(»riv-se\'enth  street  to  Sixtieth  street  and  Umadway  was  ROCK  WORK 
almost  wholly  in  rock.  'J'he  wt)rk  was  done  with  cablcways  similar  to  those  used 
for'  Fourth  avenue.  The  excavation  was  conthicd  to  the  space  between  the  curb 
and  nearest  rail  of  the  surface  railroad,  subsequently  drifting  under  the  latter  to  a 
point  just  beyond  the  center  of  the  street,  in  which  space  were  erected  the  side, 
quarter,  and  center  colunnis  and  the  roof  beams  for  one-half  the  subway  struc- 
ture. After  the  concrete  arches  had  been  put  in,  construction  was  extended 
under  the  remaining  half  of  the  street. 

At  the  junction  of  Broadway,  Eighth  avenue  and  Fifty-ninth  street  is  a  SUPPORTING 

shaft  monument  to  Christopher  Columbus,  having  a  height  of  7^  feet  and  a  COLUMBUS 

■       ^  /  J  MONUMENT 

masonry  base  stepped  out  in  the  usual  way.    The  westerly  line  of  the  subway 

excavation  passed  beneath  this  base  just  to  the  east  of  the  center  line  of  the 
shaft.  It  was  decided  to  support  the  shaft  and  its  base  by  underpinning.  In 
order  to  do  this  the  first  step  was  the  driving  of  a  tunnel  beneath  the  center  of 
the  shaft  and  to  the  west  of  the  subway  wall ;  this  was  filled  with  masonry. 
Under  the  eastern  edge  of  the  base  was  then  placed  a  large  girder  supported  on 
timber  bents,  north  and  south  of  the  monument.  The  material  beneath  the  base 
was  then  dug  out,  the  subway  structure  built  in  place,  and  on  top  of  the  sub- 
way roof  new  foundations  for  the  monument  were  carried  up.  When  this  work 
had  been  finished  the  girder  was  removed. 

Broadway,  from  Sixtieth  to  One-hundred-and-fourth  street,  is  102  feet 
wide  between  the  curbs,  and  midvsay  throtighout  is  a  line  of  parkways  22  feet 
wide,  on  each  side  of  whicli  is  a  conduit  electric  railway.  The  work  here  was 
done  through  the  parkwa}  s  in  open  cut,  under  through  trusses  that  had  been 
set  on  the  surface,  one  on  each  side  of  each  track.  These  upheld  the  conduit 
while  the  work  was  carried  on  beneath. 

The  section  to  One-hundred-and-tenth  street  was  almost  entirelv  in  deep 
tunnel.    Work  was  prosecuted  by  means  of  shafts. 

The  methods  of  construction  above  mentioned  cover  the  work  of  the  entire 
route  except  the  viaduct  and  Harlem  River  portions.  The  former,  as  has  already 
been  stated,  differed  very  little  from  the  ordinary  elevated  design,  except  that  it 


131 


JiX(,IXIiliRIX<.;  I'liATURliS  01'  A'A/I'  YORK  SUBWAY 


was  made  heavier.    This  type  was  departed  from  at  Manhattan  street,  where  a 

two-hini^cd  steel  arch  with  a  span  of  i8o  feet  was  erecteth 

Tlie  llarKni   iviver  tunnel  consists  of  two  single-track  tubes  lined  with  HARLEM 

RIVER 

cast-iron  and  separated  by  a  vertical  partition.  The  approaches  were  jy^f^g^ 
built  in  oi)en  cut.  That  portion  of  the  tunnel  under  the  river  was  con- 
structed by  an  entirely  new  method,  desiL;ned  and  successfully  executed  by 
D.  D.  McBean,  member  of  the  firm  that  contracted  for  this  section.  The  Gov- 
ernnu'nt  recjuired  that  the  river  be  ki'pt  <i])i.-ii  l"i  t  navigation,  but  permitted  it  to  be 
tem])()raril\  narnnved.  The  western  half  ol  the  tunnel  was  built  in  the  follow- 
ing way  : 

A  channel  was  dredged  across  the  river  bottom  to  within  a  few  feet  of  the  NEW  METHOD 

O  F 

full  depth  of  the  excavation  required  for  the  tunnel.    In  this  channel  founda-  ^,  . 

^  ^  SUBMARINE 

tion  piles,  and  a  row  of  specially  pre])ared  heavy  timber  sheeting  were  driven  TUNNELING 

along  each  side  and  across  the  ends,  and  cut  off  to  a  true  plane  about  2p  feet 

below  the  surface  of  the  water.    The  roof  of  this  chamber  was  formed  of  a 

platform  of  timber  40  inches  in  thickness  and  extending  the  full  width  and 

length  of  the  tunnel  section,  which  was  sunk  until  it  rested  upon  the  top  of  tlie 

cut-off  sheeting.    Simultaneously  with  pumping  the  water  from  under  the  roof, 

compressed  air  was  forced  into  the  chamber  under  a  pressure  corresponding  to 

the  hydrostatic  head,  or  depth  of  water  above  the  roof.    Inside  this  chamber 

the  west  half  of  the  tunnel  was  built,  and  then  the  timber  roof  was  removed. 

Another  simpler  and  cheapei  method  was  pursued  in  constructing  the 
easterlv  half  of  the  tunnel.  The  sides  of  the  pneumatic  working  chamber  w-ere 
prepared  in  the  same  way,  but  the  sheeting  was  cut  off  about  12  feet  lower  down 
than  in  the  first  case,  or  exactly  on  the  same  level  as  the  spring  line  of  the  arch  of 
the  tunnel.  The  top  half  of  the  tunnel  proper  was  then  built  on  pontoons  which 
were  floated  over  the  tunnel  site.  The  upper  half  of  the  tunnel  was  then  low- 
ered tintil  flanges,  which  had  been  built  upon  its  sides,  rested  upon  the  sheeting. 
This  formed  the  roof  of  the  working  chamber.  The  foundation  and  bottom 
half  of  the  tunnel  were  then  constructed  with  the  aid  of  compressed  air. 

The  Brooklyn  extension  of  the  road,  known  as  "Contract  No.  2,"  extends  CONTRACT 
from  the  Post  Office  south  under  Broadway  to  the  Battery,  thence  imder  the 
East  River  to  Joralemon  and  Fulton  streets,  and  under  the  latter  and  Flatbush 
avenue  to  the  junction  of  Atlantic  and  Flatbush  avenues.  At  Bowling  Green 
there  is  a  spur  to  South  Ferry  and  a  loop.  On  the  portion  under  Broadway  it 
was  at  first  intended  to  remove  the  street  pavement,  and  put  in  a  carefully 


133 


/:-:V(;/.\7:/;a7A(,  I'li.in-Ki'S  oi-  nhw  vonk  subway 


planked  roadwaN.  I'iuUt  iIiIn,  excavation  was  to  lie  niadc  from  two  shalls, 
one  in  front  of  St.  I'anl's  (  hnreli  \ard  and  ihr  other  in  front  of  Trinity  (_"hurch 
vard,  where  their  location  would  not  interfere  with  ahnttinj;  hnildins^s.  It  was 
not  dconied  wise  to  keep  the  j^as  mains  nnder  this  road\\a\  ,  since  any  leakage  of 
gas,  mixing  with  tlu'  confined  air,  might  cause  sericnis  explosions.  Arrange- 
ment was  made  with  the  gas  eom])any  to  lay  two  temporary  mains  on  trestles 
over  the  sidewalks  the  len.gth  of  the  work.  ,\t  the  suggestion  (~if  the  chief 
engineer,  the  contractor  made  the  experiment  of  removing  the  soil  l)nu\ath  the 
pipes  and  pavement  without  disturhing  the  latter.  sup])orting  the  i)i])es  ami  pave- 
ment on  a  properly  designed  system  of  tiinhering,  and  thus  use  the  existing 
pavement  as  a  temporary  cover  in  lieu  of  a  planlc  roadwa\-.  This  scheme 
worked  so  well  that  it  was  followed  on  the  entire  line  south  of  St.  Paul's 
shaft. 

The  width  of  the  East  River  on  the  line  of  the  crossing  between  bulkhead  TUNNELING 
lines  is  4,150  feet,  with  a  depth  at  high  water  of  47  feet.  The  War  Depart-  g^sj^'^iYgpj 
ment  required  a  depth  of  water  above  the  top  of  the  tunnel  at  low  tide  of  at 
least  45  feet.  This,  taken  in  ctMinection  with  the  irregularities  and  varxing 
materials  of  the  bed  of  the  river,  together  with  the  great  volume  of  river  trafific, 
forced  the  abandonment  of  the  idea  of  building  the  tunnel  in  the  open  and  float- 
ing it  into  place,  and  it  was  decided  to  do  the  work  by  means  of  shields  and 
compressed  air.  Two  double  shafts  were  sunk,  one  within  the  Battery  Park 
loop  and  the  other  in  Joralemon  street,  near  Henry,  from  which  headings  were 
started  for  the  two  tubes.  The  space  between  the  outside  of  the  shell  and  the 
rock  w'as  filled  wdth  broken  stone  and  cement  grout.  This  section  is  now  near- 
ing  completion. 

From  an  operating  pomt  of  view  the  stations  have  been  designed  in  two  STATION 
general  classes,  local  and  express.  This  was  accomplished  by  constructing  four  DESIGN 
tracks  from  the  Post  Office  to  Ninety-sixth  street,  with  two  and  three  tracks  in 
places  above  that  point  on  both  the  east  and  west  side  lines.  The  express  sta- 
tions are  the  Brooklyn  Bridge,  Fourteenth  street.  Grand  Central,  Seventy-second 
and  Ninety-sixth  streets,  at  which  stations  all  trains  stop.  These  stations  are 
located  about  miles  apart.  The  other  stops,  at  intervals  of  one-c|uarter  mile, 
serve  only  the  local  trains.  The  platforms  of  all  local  stations  south  of  Ninety- 
sixth  street  are  200  feet  long;  the  platforms  of  the  express  stations  are  350 
feet  long.  Above  Ninety-sixth  street  all  stations  have  platforms  of  the  longer 
length.    Local  stations  usually  have  separate  platforms,  from  which  the  pas- 


135 


R.ll'll)  TRANSIT 


seiic'crs  cnkT  or  leave  the  north  or  soulli-houiul  trains.  These  are  located  at 
the  outside  of  the  tracks,  anil  in  most  cases  with  no  provision  for  crossing  from 
one  platlorni  to  the  other.  At  two  stations,  however,  Astor  place  and  I'orty- 
second  street  and  iiroadway,  nndert;ronnd  passageways  have  been  ])rovided. 
and  at  ti\  e  others,  (  )ne-hundred-and-tlnrd,  Columbia  University,  ( )ne-hundred- 
and-sixty-eighth,  ( )ne-hundrcd-and-eighty-first  and  .Mott  avenue,  there  are 
bridges  'beneath  the  surface  of  the  street  l)Ut  over  the  tracks. 
TYPE  OF  pl^iii  there  are  live  types  of  local  stations.    'J'he  first  includes  those  from 

STATIONS  iMi'ticth  street  south.  This  type  has  two  |)l.il  forms,  one  on  each  side  of  the 
street,  and  made  of  as  great  a  width  as  the  wi(hh  of  the  street  permitted,  extend- 
ing from  the  side  of  the  tracks  to  the  area  line  of  Iniilding,  which  is  five  feet 
from  the  building  line.  As  far  as  possible  these  jilatforms  are  arranged  sym- 
metrically on  either  side  of  the  cross  street  where  the  station  is  situated,  a  i)or- 
tioii  of  the  cross  street  being  excavated  to  accommodate  the  waiting  room,  in 
wliich  the  ticket  ofifice,  toilet  rooms  and  service  closets  are  located. 

Jn  order  to  ])rovide  the  fullest  possible  facilities  for  reaching  the  ])lat  forms, 
each  station  is  ])rovided  with  eight  stairways,  four  for  each  ])latform,  located  in 
pairs  on  th.e  north  and  south  sides  of  the  cross  streets.  One  of  these  stairways  is 
an  entrance  and  the  other  an  exit.  The  entrance  stairway  descends  from  th.e 
sidewalk  and  reaches  the  rear  of  the  waiting  room  where  the  ticket  office  is 
situated.  The  passenger  descends  the  stairway,  buys  his  ticket  and  goes  for- 
ward to  the  platform,  moving  always  in  a  straight  line  and  without  reversing 
the  direction.  The  exit  stairways  lead  from  the  back  of  the  platform  directly  to 
the  sidewalk.  Passengers  ai)proach  these  exit  stairways  without  passing  the 
ticket  office  or  meeting  the  incoming  line  of  traffic.  This  stairway  accommoda- 
tion is  much  in  excess  of  any  similar  accommodation  provided  in  any  station  of 
the  elevated  railroad. 

SECOND  TYPE  The  second  tyi)e  is  represented  in  the  local  stations  on  Broadway  north  of 

Sixtieth  street.  In  that  part  of  the  city  Broadway  is  very  wide  and  the  plat- 
forms do  not  come  beneath  the  sidewalks.  As  the  congestion  is  not  so  much  as 
in  the  commercial  districts,  the  platforms  are  reached  by  one  wide  staircase. 
These,  however,  can  readily  be  doubled  as  traffic  develops. 

Another  type  is  on  Lenox  avenue  from  One-hundred-and-sixteenth  to  One- 
htindred-and-thirty-fifth  street  inclusive.  Along  this  section  the  axis  of  the  sub- 
way does  not  coincide  with  the  center  line  of  the  street ;  so  that  the  west  plat- 
form is  beneath  the  sidewalk  while  the  other  is  under  the  roadwav.    As  these 


i-:\\,i.\i.i:Ri.\\,  ii:.rri'h'iis  op'  xiiii'  voh'K  subii  .iv 


stations  ;irr  in  liu'  coninKTcial  districts  of  llarU'ni,  more  stairways  have  l)ccn 
providcil  tlian  for  the  stations  on  ni)!)or  llroadway,  eacii  platform  being  pro- 
vided with  two  wide  stairways. 

'i'lu'  deep  tunnel  stations,  at  (  )ne-hnndred-an<l-si.\ty-ei<4hth  street,  Onc-luin-  DEEP 

(h\'d-and-ei"htv-lirst  street  and  at  Mott  avenue,  consist  in  each  case  of  a  wide  FUNNEL 

•  .  STATIONS 

arch  s])amiing  both  tracks  and  the  two  platforms,  access  to  the  platforms  being 

had  hv  shafts.  98,  120,  and  46  feet  deep,  respectively.  Each  shaft  contains  a 
stairway  and  two  elevators,  the  lattei  having;'  a  eai)aeity  of  3,500  passengers  per 
hour.  The  waitingf  room  containing-  the  ticket  ofiiee  is  immediately  beneath  the 
sidewalk,  and  to  this  a  short  stairway  leads.  iM-om  the  waiting  room  the  ele- 
vators descend  to  a  bridge  crossing  the  tracks  so  that  access  can  be  had  from 
this  overhead  passageway  to  either  i)latforni. 

The  C'itv  llall  station,  being  on  a  loop,  contains  but  a  single  track  which  is  CITY  HALL 
curved.  These  two  features  made  it  possible  to  adopt  a  special  design  different  in  ^"'^''^^''-'^ 
all  respects  from  the  others.  The  accompanying  engravings,  page  53,  show  some 
of  the  architectural  features  of  the  design.  Another  unique  type  is  the  station  at 
Columbia  I'niversitv,  which  is  reached  through  an  ornamental  house  built  in 
one  of  the  i)arkwavs  in  the  center  of  Broadway.  The  ticket  office  in  this  case,  is 
placed  on  the  surface  of  the  street.  The  stairway  descends  from  this  house  to  a 
bridge  sjianning  the  tracks  and  leading  to  both  the  up  and  the  down  platforms. 

The  ])rincipal  features  of  the  express  stations  are  two  large  island  platforms 
situatetl  between  the  express  and  local  tracks.  At  the  lirooklvn  Bridge,  Four- 
teenth street  and  the  Grand  Central  stations,  access  is  had  to  these  platforms  by 
overhead  bridges  above  the  tracks  but  beneath  the  street  surface.  The  island 
platforms  of  the  Seventy-second  street  station  are  approached  by  stairways 
descending  from  an  ornamental  house  in  the  center  of  Broadway.  The  plat- 
forms of  the  Xinety-sixth  street  station  are  reached  by  a  passageway  beneath 
the  tracks.  At  these  stations  the  island  platforms  serve  either  the  local  or 
express  trains. 

At  the  Bridge,  Fourteenth,  and  Ninety-sixth  streets,  side  platforms  have 
been  constructed  in  addition  to  the  island  ones;  so  that  at  these  stations  pas- 
sengers going  to  or  coming  from  the  local  trains  will  not  be  obliged  to  go  to 
the  island  platforms  and  come  in  contact  with  those  using  the  express  trains. 
At  the  other  two  stations  the  width  of  the  street  would  not  permit  the  erection  of 
such  additional  platforms. 

The  stations  on  the  viaduct  portion  of  the  road  are  of  the  covered  t\pe. 


137 


RAPID  TRANSIT 


That  at  Alanliattan  X'alley  has  three  tracks  with  two  platforms.  As  these  are  55 
feet  above  the  street  a  double  moving  stairway  has  been  installed.  This  leads 
from  a  house  in  w^hich  arc  the  ticket  windows  and  waiting  rooms,  and  thence  to  a 
j)latform  directly  beneath  the  tracks  and  connected  by  a  short  stairway  with 
both  platforms. 

STATIONS  All  of  the  stations  have  been  constructed  as  near  the  street  surface  as  pos- 
NEAR  THE  ,  ,  .  •,  ,        •  •      ,    ,  •  ,  ,•  , 

SURFACE  ^"'-^  made  two  thmgs  possible;  it  permitted  the  stations  to  be  supplied 

with  natural  light  in  the  daytime,  and  reduced  the  length  of  the  stairways  to  a 

minimum.     Wherever  the  platforms  are  beneath  sidewalks,  the  sidewalks  are 

made  of  glass.    Of  the  37  subway  stations,  20  are  so  well  provided  with  natural 

light  that  very  little  artificial  illumination  is  required  during  daylight  hours. 

The  length  of  stairways  is  not  much  more  than  one-half  of  the  average  length  of 

stairways  leading  to  elevated  stations. 

LIGHTING         In  general  the  lights  in  the  stations  are  incandescent  lamps  placed  in 

recesses  in  the  "ceilings.    Current  for  these  is  obtained  from  two  sources,  a 

regular  lighting  circuit  and  the  track  circuit.    The  latter  is  for  use  only  in 

cases  of  emergency.    All  lights  are  controlled  from  a  switchboard  in  the  ticket 

booth. 

The  stations  are  made  damp-proof  by  an  inner  and  outer  shell.  The  side- 
walls  and  ceilings  of  the  outer  shell  are  built  of  steel  columns  and  beams  with 
concrete  filled  between  them,  and  a  layer  of  concrete  forms  the  foundation  of 
the  floor.  Water-proofing,  protected  by  an  outer  lining  of  masonry,  envelops 
the  entire  structure.  This  forms  the  constructive  work  of  the  stations,  as  dis- 
tinguished from  the  finishing  work  of  the  inner  shell  which  includes  the  side- 
walls,  ceilings  and  floors.  The  floors  are  all  alike,  and  are  made  of  concrete 
divided  into  plaques  3  feet  square.  The  floors  are  graded  so  as  to  drain  to  catch 
basins  which  are  connected  with  the  sewer. 
DESIGN  OF  'file  5ase  of  the  walls  at  stations  is  built  of  a  hard  bufif-colored  brick,  form- 
ing a  double  wainscot  that  extends  around  the  whole  platform  2^  feet  high. 
This  wall  is  set  back  from  the  face  of  the  brick  to  allow  for  a  finish  of  glass  or  of 
glazed  tile.  At  the  top  of  the  tile  a  cornice  of  faience  or  terra  cotta  is  built  into 
the  wall,  and  at  intervals  of  15  feet,  or  opposite  the  platform  columns,  the  cornice 
line  is  broken  by  an  ornamental  symbol  designating  the  name  of  the  station. 
At  certain  intervals  a  large  tablet,  consisting  of  a  dark  background  of  glazed 
mosaic,  carries  the  name  of  the  station  in  white  mosaic,  or  gold  letters  or  dis- 
tinct figures.    The  finished  floors  and  walls  are  joined  with  a  sanitary  cove 


138 


ri-.iruRES  or  new  york  subway 


base,  so  that  corners  where  dust  might  lodge  are  avoided.  The  materials  used  in 
tiie  wall  treatment  between  the  cornice  and  wainscot  are  glass,  or  glazed  tile  or 
ceramic-tile  mosaic.  Tlu'  glass  or  glazed  tile  is  3  by  6  mches  and  covers  most  of 
the  surface.  The  ceramic  mosaic  work  is  used  for  ornamentation.  It  is  made  uji 
into  narrow  bands  of  single  colors,  ornamental  friezes,  pilasters  and  name  tab- 
lets. Under  each  cornice  plaque  there  is  usually  a  pilaster  design  separating 
the  wall  inlo  panels  about  15  feet  long.  The  panels  are  bordered  with  mosaic 
bands  and  friezes. 

There  are  two  kinds  of  ceilings ;  one  is  a  flat  suspended  ceiling  which  cov- 
ers all  the  steel  and  concrete  in  the  roof ;  the  other  is  arched  and  is  also  sus- 
pended, but  only  between  the  roof  beams.  Ornamental  moldings  are  used  to 
divide  the  ceiling  into  panels.  Heat  is  furnished  to  all  stations  by  electric 
heaters. 

At  appropriate  stations  suggestive  designs  have  been  worked  into  the  walls. 
Thus  there  is  the  "Caravel"  at  Columbus  Circle ;  the  "Beaver"  at  Astor  place, 
and  the  Arms  of  Columbia  University  at  the  Columbia  University  station. 


COLUMBIA   UNIVERSITY    ENTRANCE  N.    Y.  SUBWAY. 


CHAPTER  XV. 


EQUIPMENT  OF  THE  SUBWAY. 


COST  OF  According  to  the  conditions  of  the  contract,  the  contractor  was  to  supply 
EQUIPMENT  ^\■^^.  entire  equipment.  Tliis  comprised  the  power  houses,  conductors,  train  equip- 
ment, signaHing  apparatus,  and  the  like.  The  outfit  is  part  of  the  cost  to  be 
borne  by  the  builder;  and  at  the  e.\]nration  of  the  fifty  years,  the  period  for 
which  the  contract  runs,  is  to  be  turned  over  to  the  city  as  part  of  the  subway 
])lant.  The  e(|uii)nient  as  it  stiinds  to-day  represents  an  expenditure  by  the  Inter- 
Ijorough  Company  of  between  $15,000,000  and  $20,000,000,  thereby  making  its 
total  investment  about  $60,000,000. 

Ilefore  jiroceeding  with  its  installation,  a  very  thorough  examination  was 
made  of  all  the  prominent  generating  stations  of  this  country  and  of  Europe. 
This  preliminary  study  resulted  in  the  creation  of  not  only  the  largest  power 
house  in  the  world — measured  according  to  the  horsepower  capacit\ — but  also 
the  most  complete  one  so  far  as  each  individual  part  is  concerned. 

It  will  be  re-called  that  boih  Contract  Xo.  1  and  Contract  No.  2  are  con- 
trolled by  the  same  interests.  Therefore  when  the  company  received  the  sec- 
ond contract,  in  T902,  it  immediately  prepared  plans  for  an  electrical  capacity 
sufficient  to  provide  for  the  operation  of  the  Brooklyn  extension  of  the  road. 
POWER  The  power  house  occupies  the  site  bounded  by  Fifty-eighth  and  Fifty-ninth 
HOUSE  streets  and  Eleventh  and  Twelfth  avenues.  The  building  is  200  feet  wide  on 
Eleventh  avenue,  and  is  divided  into  a  boiler  house  83  feet  wide,  and  an  engine 
room  117  feet  wide,  separated  by  a  partition  wall.  Provision  was  made  for 
six  generating  sections,  with  space  remaining  for  a  seventh.  Each  section  has 
one  chimney,  together  with  the  following  e(iuipment:  12  boilers,  2  engines 
direct-connected  to  a  5,000-kilowatt  alternating  generator,  2  condensing  plants,  2 
feed  pumps,  and  all  the  appliances  necessary  to  make  each  section  complete  in 
itself.    All  this  required  a  structure  694  feet  in  length. 

140 


R.ll'll)  TRANSIT 


MENT  OF 
BUILDING 


The  advantages  of  tliis  plan  arc  tluis  snnimed  np:  * 
ARRANGE-  "Tlu'  main  engines,  eonihined  willi  their  alternators,  lie  in  a  smgle  row 

along"  the  cmler  of  the  ojierating  rbimi  with  the  steam  or  i)])irating  end  of  each 
engine  facing  tin  hiMler  Imnse  and  the  opposite  end  toward  the  electrical  switch- 
ing' and  ci )nlrolling  apparatus  arranged  along  the  outside  wall.  Within  the 
area  hetween  the  hoiler  linnse  and  the  operating  room  there  is  placed,  for  each 
engine,  its  res])ective  complement  of  pumping  apparatus,  all  controlled  by  and 
under  the  o])erating  jurisdiction  of  the  engineer  for  that  engine.  l''ach  engineer 
has  thus  full  control  of  the  ])umi)ing  ruachinery  re([uired  for  his  unit.  Sym- 
metrically arranged  with  respect  to  the  center  line  of  each  engine,  are  the  six 
boilers  in  the  boiler  room,  and  the  piping  from  these  six  boilers  forms  a  short 
connection  I)etween  the  nozzles  on  the  boilers  and  the  throttles  on  the  engines. 
The  arrangement  of  ])i])ing  is  alike  for  each  engine,  which  results  in  a  pij^ing 
system  of  maximuiu  simplicity  that  can  be  controlled,  in  the  event  of  difficulty, 
witli  a  degree  of  certainty  not  possible  with  a  more  complicated  system.  The 
main  parts  of  the  steam-pipe  system  can  be  controlled  from  outside  this  area." 
COAL-  In  the  top  of  the  building  immediately  over  the  boilers  are  seven  coal 

bunkers,  five  of  wliich  are  77  feet  and  two  41  feet  in  length,  all  being  60  feet 
wide  at  the  top.  The  total  capacity  is  18,000  tons.  The  six  chimneys  placed 
along-  the  center  of  the  boiler  house  separate  the  bunkers  from  each  other.  Tlie 
chimneys  are  placed  108  feet  apart,  and  are  carried  on  plate-girder  platforms  in 
the  fifth  floor,  the  entire  space  below  being  thus  left  clear.  The  framing  for 
both  the  chimney  platforms  and  the  bunkers  is  extended  down  to  the 
foundation. 

Both  coal  and  ashes  are  handled  by  belt  conveyors.  Thirty-inch  belts  con- 
vey the  coal  along"  the  dock  where  it  is  received,  and  by  a  tunnel  to  the  south- 
west corner  of  the  power  house.  From  there  it  is  raised  110  feet  to  the  top  of 
the  boiler  house,  at  the  rate  of  250  tons  per  hour,  and  distriimted  along  the 
bunkers.  The  conveyors  have  automatic  trippers  which  distribute  the  coal 
evenly  in  the  bunkers.  Another  set  of  conveyors  is  placed  under  the  bunkers 
for  delivering  difYerent  grades  of  coal  from  any  particular  bunker  to  the 
chutes  in  front  of  the  boilers.  All  the  conveyors  are  operated  by  electric 
motors. 


HANDLING 
PLANT 


*  From  the  book  on  the  "Xew  York  Subway"  published  by  the  Interborough  Rapid 
Transit  Company. 


142 


LXlLRlnR    AMI    INTKRIilK,    S  L  1! -SIA  I  Ki  X,    N .    Y.  SUBWAY. 


RAPID  TRANSIT 


I 


TIk'  boiler  room  is  iiitfiiik-d  to  receive,  ultimately,  72  boilers  of  the  water- 
tube  tyi)e.  which  will  have  a  coml)iued  heating-  surface  of  432,576  square  feet, 
l^ifty-two  are  now  erected  in  batteries  of  two  each,  and  between  each  pair  is  a 
5-foot  passageway.  Thirty-six  of  the  boilers  are  hand  fired  and  have  shaking 
grates.    Twelve  are  funiished  with  automatic  stokers. 

h'orced  draft  is  ])ro\'ided  in  order  to  burn  fine  anthracite  coal  in  sufficient 
(|uantity  to  obtain  l)oiler  rating  with  hand  firing,  and  also  to  secure  excess  over 
the  rating  with  other  coal.  The  blowers  deliver  the  air  at  a  pressure  of  2 
inches  of  water. 

STEAM  'Idle  steam  piping  from  six  boilers  to  one  main  engine  is  thus  described  : 

PIPING 

"A  cross-over  pipe  is  erected  on  each  boiler,  by  means  of  which  and  a  combina- 
tion of  valves  and  fittings  the  steam  may  be  passed  through  the  superheater. 
In  the  delivery  from  each  boiler  there  is  a  quick-closing  9-inch  valve,  wdiich 
can  be  closed  from  the  boiler  room  floor  by  hand,  or  from  a  distant  point 
individually  or  in  groups  of  six.  Risers  witli  9-inch  wrought  iron  goose-necks 
connect  each  boiler  to  the  steam  main,  where  9-inch  angle  valves  are  inserted  in 
each  boiler  connection.  These  valves  can  be  closed  from  the  platform  above 
the  boilers,  and  are  grou]^ed  three  over  one  set  of  three  boilers  and  three  over 
the  opposite  set.  The  main  from  the  six  boilers  is  carried  directly  across  the 
boiler  house  in  a  straight  line  to  a  point  in  the  pipe  area  where  it  rises  to  con- 
nect to  the  two  14-inch  steam  downtakes  to  the  engine  throttles.  At  this  \)0\vA 
the  steam  can  also  be  led  downward  to  a  manifold  to  which  the  compensating 
tie  lines  are  connected.  These  compensating  lines  are  run  lengthwise  through 
the  power  house  for  the  purpose  of  joining  the  systems  together  as  desired. 
The  two  downtakes  to  the  engine  throttles  drop  to  the  basement,  wdiere  each, 
through  a  goose-neck,  delivers  into  a  receiver  and  separating  tank  and  from 
the  tank  through  a  second  goose-neck  into  the  corresponding  throttle." 
ENGINES  There  are  nine  main  engines  from  8,000  to  11,000  horsepower  direct  con- 
nected to  5,ooo-kilo\vatt  generators,  and  three  steam  turbines  direct  connected  to 
1.875-kilowatt  lighting  generators,  and  two  400-horsepower  engines  direct  con- 
nected to  250-kilowatt  exciter  generators.  The  main  engines  are  of  the  com- 
pound type,  having  cylinders  42  and  86  inches  and  stroke  of  60  inches,  working 
under  a  steam  pressure  of  175  pounds. 

The  steam  turbines  are  of  the  multiple  expansion  parallel  flow  type,  con- 
sisting of  two  turbines  arranged  tandem  compound.  Each  unit  is  of  1.700  elec- 
trical horsepower. 


144 


liQl'll'MI'.XT   Ol'    ■Jllli  SUJiiyAV 


I'.acli  en^iiio  has  its  own  condenser  t)nllU,  and  each  lias  a  circulalinL;  punip  CONDENSERS 
and  vacmnn  pump  which,  tor  tlic  sake  of  llcxihihty,  arc  cross  connected  with  PUMPS 
each  otlier  so  as  to  he  used  interchan^eahlx .     l-'ach  cireulat ini;'  pump  lias  a 
capacity  of  10,000,000  gallons  of  water  per  day,  so  that  the  combined  capacity  is 
120,000,000  gallons  per  day.    Two  electrically  driven  compressors  supply  air 
througlii 'ut  the  power  house  for  cleaning  electric  machinery  and  other  purposes. 

'J'Ik'  operating  room  is  supplied  with  one  do-ton  and  e-ne  25-toii  electric 
traveling  crane;  the  area  over  the  oil  switches  with  one  10-ton  hand  crane, 
and  the  center  aisle  of  the  boiler  room  with  one  lo-ton  hand  crane.  Both  the 
electric  cranes  have  a  span  of  74  1-3  feet  and  travel  the  entire  length  of  the 
building. 

The  subway  electric  system  comprises  alternating  generation  and  distribu- 
tion with  direct  current  car  motors.  The  current  is  generated  at  a  voltage  of 
11,000,  and  is  delivered  through  three-conductor  cables  to  transformers '  and 
converters  in  sub-stations,  where  it  is  transformed  into  direct  current  of  625 
volts  for  delivery  to  the  third  rail.  In  the  book  above  referred  to  we  find  the 
following : 

"Calculations   based   upon   contemplated   schedules   indicated   that   there  ELECTRICAL 

would  be  needed  for  traction  purposes   and   for  heating  and   lighting  the  PO'^ER 

^     ^  _  .  REQUIRED 

cars,  a  maximum  delivery  of  about  45,000  kilowatts  at  the  third  rail.  Allow- 
ing for  losses  in  the  distributing  cables,  in  transformers  and  converters,  this 
implies  a  total  generating  capacity  of  approximately  50,000  kilowatts ;  and  hav- 
ing in  view  the  possibility  of  future  extensions  of  the  system  it  was  decided  to 
design  the  power  house  building  for  the  ultimate  reception  of  eleven  5,000- 
kilowatt  units  for  traction  current  in  addition  to  the  lighting  sets.  Each  5,000- 
kilowatt  unit  is  capable  of  delivering  during  rush  hours  an  output  of  7,500 
kilowatts  or  approximately  10,000  electrical  horsepower,  and,  setting  aside  one 
unit  as  a  reserve,  the  contemplated  ultimate  maximum  output  of  the  power 
plant  is  75,000  kilowatts,  or  approximately  100,000  electrical  horsepower."  A 
generating  unit  of  this  size  was  adopted  "because  it  is  practically  as  large  a 
unit  of  the  direct-connected  type  as  can  be  constructed  by  the  engine  builders 
unless  more  than  two  bearings  be  used — an  alternative  deemed  inadvisable  by 
the  engineers  of  the  company.  The  adoption  of  a  smaller  unit  would  be  less 
economical  of  floor  space  and  would  tend  to  produce  extreme  complication  in  so 
large  an  installation,  and,  in  view  of  the  rapid  changes  in  load  which  in  urban 


145 


h'.iriD  Th'.IXSlT 


railway  service  of  this  cliaraclcr  occur  in  the  nioniin^'  and  aj^ain  late  in  the 
afternoon,  would  he  extremely  difticult  to  operate."  The  company's  engineers 
made  a  close  stud\'  of  steam  turhines  as  ])rimc  movers  for  the  alternators,  and 
decided  in  favor  of  the  reciprocating  engine. 

DYNAMOS  'i'he-  alternators  have  a  stationary  armature  exterior  to  the  t'leld  ;  they  are 
three-])hase  machines  delivering  current  at  a  potential  of  11,000  volts.  The 
revolving  ])art  weighs  332,000  pounds,  and  the  design  is  such  as  to  eliminate 
the  Hy-wheel.  'Jdie  switches  are  electrically  operated,  and  the  circuits  are  made 
and  broken  luider  oil.  "Provision  is  made  for  an  tiltimate  total  of  twelve  sub- 
stations, to  each  of  which  as  many  as  eight  feeders  may  be  instalU'd,  if  the 
development  of  the  com])anv"s  business  should  recpiire  that  number,  lint  eight 
sub-stati(jns  are  recjuired  at  i)resent,  and  to  some  of  these  not  more  dian  three 
feeders  are  necessary.  'J"he  aggegate  number  of  feeders  installed  for  the  initial 
operation  of  the  subway  system  is  34." 

ELECTRIC  The  conductors  i)ass  to  the  sub-stations  through  \itrified  clay  ducts  built 

CONDUCTORS  .^^^^  ^1^^  subway  structure.  The  sul)-stations  are  located  at  C'it\-  1  lall  ])lace.  East 
Nineteenth  street.  West  Fifty-third  street.  West  Ninety-sixth  street.  West  One- 
hundred-and-forty-third  street,  West  One-himdred-and-thirty-second  street,  Hill- 
side avenue,  and  Fox  street.  In  these  stations  the  high  potential  alternating 
current  is  transformed  into  direct  current  at  a  potential  of  625  volts;  this  cur- 
rent is  conveyed  to  the  contact  rails  bv  insulated  cables. 

The  contact  rails  are  carried  upon  l)lock  insulators  resting  u])on  malleable 
iron  castings.  The  track  rails  are  33  feet  long  and  weigh  100  ])(nmds  to  the 
yard.  One  rail  of  each  track  is  used  for  the  operating  current  and  the  other 
for  signal  ])urposes.  The  third  rail  is  guarded  by  a  plank  placed  in  a  horizontal 
position  directlv  above  it. 

After  a  thorough  consideration  of  the  question,  the  ccmjjany  decided  to 
adopt  a  car  with  cud  ])latforms  such  as  those  generallv  used  on  American  rail- 
ways. The  standard  car  is  51  feet  long  over  all,  40  feet  long  in  the  clear  inside, 
and  7  feet  10  inches  wide  in  the  clear,  with  a  seating  capacity  of  52.  The  fol- 
lowing is  from  the  report  of  the  Chief  Engineer  to  the  Commission,  dated  Jan- 
uary I,  1905  : 

COMPOSITE  "In  order  to  eliminate  or  reduce  to  the  minimum  all  danger  from  fire,  the 

CARS  j.gg^j]j  q£  filling  the  subway  with  smoke  would  be  disastrous,  it  was  real- 

ized that  the  new  cars  should  be  mad.e  as  nearly  firej^roof  as  possible.    An  all- 

148 


/■or  /  I'M  I. \  I     Oh    llll:    SI  lUI'.D' 


nu'tal  car  of  reasonable  wi'ii^lit  was  unknown,  ami  at  lirsl  did  not  st'cni  prac 
licablr.  A  com])()sitc  car  was  Ihcn  forc  designed  lia\ ins;-  the  sills  of  6-inch 
sled  channels  for  sidi'  sills,  and  5dnch  ld)eanis  for  center  silK,  and  the  sn])er- 
strnctnre  of  wood,  hnt  covered  on  the  sides  with  copper  so  as  to  protect,  for  a 
while  at  least,  the  wood  from  taking-  tire  by  radiant  heat.  (Ireat  care  was  taken 
with  the  wiring-  details.  All  junctions  and  fusible  plu,!?s  were  locateit  in  a.slx'stos- 
lined  boxes,  wliile  the  underside  of  the  floor  was  covered  with  'tran^iter,'  a 
heavv  asbestos  board  made  for  the  iiur]iose.  and  both  tire  .-'ud  t'U'Ctric  ])roof. 
Such  a  car,  while  not  absoluteh'  fn^'proof,  is  at  least  slow  burning',  and 
believed  to  be  fireproof  against  anv  accideiU  hkely  to  occur  in  the  sul)wa\'.  .Ml 
details  of  construction  were  made  more  strong  and  heavy  than  is  usual  in  car^ 
for  similar  service,  so  that  the  wi'ight  of  tlu'  car  liody  is  2'/.()^o  ])ounds,  as 
a.gainst  20,500  pounds  for  the  car  bodies  on  the  .Manhattan  elevated. 

"W  hile  such  cars  as  above  descrilx'(l  were  being  built,  Mr.  (  leorge  Gibbs,  ALL-METAL 
consulting  engineer  to  the  company,  and  who  was  speciall\'  charged  witli  equi])-  ^^^^  . 
ment  design,  was  stutlying  a  type  of  all-metal  car,  and  finally  evoKed  such  a 
car  of  the  same  general  dimensions  as  the  composite  car,  the  weight  of  the 
body  being  28,500  pounds.  In  general  the  details  of  this  car  are  center  sills  of 
I-beams,  17.25  pounds;  side  sills  of  angles  5  by  3  by  i  inches,  12.8  pounds; 
with  a  plate  of  steel  for  the  sides^  wliicli,  with  the  side  sills  and  a  longitudinal 
angle  (spiraled  bulb  angle)  4^  to  2^  inches,  at  the  level  of  the  window  ledge, 
forms  a  plate  girder  to  take  the  -place  of  the  ordinary  iron  body  truss.  The 
upper  side  and  roof  framing  is  of  steel,  while  the  interior  lining  of  the  car  is 
aluminum.  The  floor  is  a  cement  com])ound.  The  only  wdod  used  is  in  the 
window  sashes,  doors  and  in  the  post  ftUTing,  which  is  lire-i)roofe(l. 

"On  October  27,  the  'late  of  the  oi)ening,  there  were  delivered  on  the  line 
103  metal  cars  and  502  composite  cars.  At  the  end  of  the  year  97  metal  cars  in 
addition  had  been  furnished,  and  there  were  outstanding  contracts  for  100  metal 
cars.  It  is  the  intention  to  make  the  metal  cars  the  motor  cars,  and  the  com- 
posite cars  the  trailers,  until  such  time  as  the  latter  will  be  entirely  superseded  by 
the  former. 

"As  eciuipped  electrically  the  motor  cars  have  each  two  motors  of  a  nominal  TRAIN 
capacity  of  200  h.  p.  each,  working  on  two  axles  of  one  truck.    The  total  f^^KE-UP 
weight,  on  track,  of  a  metal  motor  car  completely  ecjuipped,  but  exclusive  of 
passengers,  is  76,925  pounds,  and  a  composite  trailer  w-ith  ordinary  trucks  51.300 
pounds.    The  ordinary  make-up  of  a  local  train  is  five  cars,  of  which  three  are 


149 


R.li'll)  TK.IXSIT 


motors  and  two  trailers,  whiU'  an  express  train  consists  of  eight  cars,  five  mcjtors 
and  three  trailers.  The  former  therefore  weighs  empty  333,384  ])i)nnils,  and 
has  a  total  energy  of  1,200  h.  p.,  uliile  the  latter  weighs  52<S.540  ])()r,n.]s  with  an 
energy  of  2,000  h.  p.  In  hotli  cases  the  energy  fignrcs  are  a  nc^minal  rating  and 
are  capahle  of  standing  considerable  overload,  especially  dnring  the  period  of 
acceleration. 

"I*"or  the  regnlar  train  signals,  antomatic  devices  were  ado])ted.  The  express 
lines  were  divided  into  blocks,  the  length  of  each  being  the  distance  in  which  a 
train  traveling  at  fnll  speed  coidd  be  l)ronght  to  rest  with  cnrrent  cut  oft'  and 
emergency  brakes  api)lied.  As  this  distance  is  obviously  dependent  upon  the 
profile  of  the  road,  and  as  to  whether  the  gradient  is  ascending  or  descending, 
the  blocks  are  of  varying  length,  from  450  feet  to  1,000  feet.  The  ordinary 
arrangcnu-nt  of  home  and  distant  signals  is  established,  but  alwa\s  with  an  over- 
lap block  ;  that  is,  each  home  signal  guards  not  the  next  block,  bnt  the  one 
after,  so  that  tlure  is  always  at  least  one  whole  block  distaniv  interxiiiing  bc-lwecn 
the  home  signal  and  the  next  train  ahead. 

SIGNALS  "-^t   each   signal   box   and    connected    with   the   ln;me    signal    there   i.>  a 

mechanical  trip  set  in  the  center  of  the  track.  When  a  home  signal  is  at  danger 
the  trij)  is  erect,  so  that  if  a  motor-man  for  any  cause  overruns  a  home  signal  at 
danger  the  tri])  will  cut  off  his  power,  set  his  brakes,  and  automaticallv  bring 
tlie  train  to  a  stop  before  passing  off  the  next  block. 

'■(  )n  the  local  tracks  home  danger  signals  are  located  to  guard  all  station 
approaches,  curves,  and  any  other  point  obstructing  a  free  view  of  trains 
ahead." 

LIGHTING  In  order  to  maintain  lights  in  the  subwa)-  entirely  independent  of  any  tem- 

porary interruption  of  the  power  used  for  lighting  the  cars,  a  separate  ])lant 
was  installed  in  the  power  house.  This  is  comj^osed  of  three  turbine-driven 
alternators,  receiving  steam  from  a  special  supply,  and  not  from  the  supply  for 
the  large  units.  The  primary  current  at  11,000  volts  is  led  to  transformers 
placed  in  fireproof  compartments  near  the  station  platforms.  The  current  is 
then  delivered  to  two  separate  systems  of  wiring  at  120  and  600  volts  ;  the  first 
provides  the  general  lighting  of  the  stations,  w'hile  the  second  lights  the  subway 
between  stations.  In  addition  to  this,  and  as  a  still  further  precaution,  there 
are  in  each  station  a  number  of  lamps  connected  to  the  contact  rail  circuit. 

Lack  of  space  will  not  permit  an  extended  description  of  the  many  admir- 

150 


EOUII'MliXT   OP   Tim   SI' HIV  AY 


al)k'  I'ralurcs  (vf  the  equipment  of  the  subway  provided  by  the  Interborough 
C'oiiipauy.  As  it  stands  to-day  it  i\i>rescnt.s  not  only  the  best  practice  in  elec- 
trical generation  and  distribution,  but  in  many  characteristics  it  is  far  in  advance. 
The  planning  has  been  wisely  and  conservatively  done  and  the  construction  has 
lieen  thorou,i;h  in  all  res])ecls. 


151 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


WORK  OF  COMMISSION  DURING  CONSTRUCTION  OF  SUBWAY 


TIk-  work  (if  llic  C'oniinission,  while  the  coiistruclion  of  Contract  Xo.  i 
wab  going  forward,  was  of  the  greatest  importance  to  the  future  development  of 
the  "Greater  City."  The  most  essential  ])arl  of  the  work  was  the  i)rovision  for 
achiitionrd  rapid  transit  facilities  covering-  all  the  horoughs  of  Greater  New  York, 
and  the  consideration  of  franchises  to  foreign  corporations  desirous  of  gaining' 
enirance  to  the  cilw 

POWERS  OF  '  'i*-'  original  Act  of  18(^4  was  passed  heforc  the  consolidation,  and  ])rovided 

COMMISSION         tlv.  construction  of  a  ra[)id  transit  railroad  onlv  within  the  citv  of  New  York. 

EXTENDED    ,  ,        .  ,     ,    r  ,      ,     ,         ,  ,        ,  '     ,  ,■  , 

It  was.  theretore,  doubtful  whether  the  Hoard  had  power  to  establish  a  route 

and  general  plan  for  the  construction,  at  the  expense  of  the  city,  of  roads  extend- 
ing into  boroughs  other  than  Manhattan  and  the  JSron.x.  In  order  to  resolve 
this  (juestion.  a  bill  was  introduced  in  the  Cegislature  to  extend  the  powers  of 
the  Rapid  Transit  Commission  into  all  parts  of  Greater  New  York.  This 
became  a  law  April  23,  1900. 

Before  the  end  of  Kjot  the  Hoard  had  shown  its  intention  to  extend  the 
rapid  transit  system  to  all  die  boroughs  of  the  city  as  soon  as  the  financial  con- 
tlition  would  allow:  and  in  particular  to  r.rookl_\-n,  which  was  second  only  to 
Manhattan  in  population  and  ini])ortance. 

The  policy  of  the  Board  cannot  be  better  expressed  than  in  the  following 
extract  from  its  report  for  the  year  1902: 

POLICY  "Early  in  1002  the  Board  was  called  upon  to  defend  the  essential  propo- 

OF  BOARD  c;ij^jon  upon  which  it  had  been  cc^nstituted.  This  was  that  the  use  of  the  under- 
ground and  overhead  portions  of  the  streets  of  New"  York  for  railroad  purposes 
shouUl  proceed  according  to  a  harmonious  and  far-seeing  plan,  possible  only  if 
all  such  uses,  and  every  such  use,  of  the  streets  were  to  be  subject  to  the  juris- 
diction of  the  Rapid  Transit  Board,  or  of  some  other  single  authority  of  a  sim- 
ilar- kind,  which  should  represent  the  interests  of  the  entire  city,  and  be  so 
-organized  as  to  be  able  to  carry  out  consistently  and  efficiently  a  plan  recpiiring 

152 


l/'O/v'/v   01'   COMMISSION  DURING  CONSTRUCTION  OF  SUBWAY. 


years,  and  jicrhaps  many  years,  for  comi)kti<)n.  'I'lu-  i-slahlislinicnl  of  this  view 
followed  the  disonssion  over  the  so-called  '  1 'enns\  1\ ania  Railroad  Hill.' 

"The  vindication  which  was  then  >iccorde<l  to  the  ]>osition  of  the  Hoard,  the 
creation,  with  an  overwhelmniL;'  apjjroval  of  puhlic  sentiment,  of  tlu'  I'mnsyl- 
vania  Terminal  franchise,  the  very  advantageous  terms  of  the  I Ircjoklyn-Man- 
hattan  contract,  the  authorization  by  the  Board  of  additional  tunnel  connection 
with  Jersey  City,  and,  finally,  the  order  of  the  Board  that  a  plan  he  prepared 
for  a  great  and  systematic  extension  of  ra])id  transit  facilities  in  the  Borotighs  of 
^Manhattan,  lirooklyn,  the  Bronx  and  Queens,  all  these  were  normal  fruit  of  tin- 
rapid  transit  agitation  wdiich  brought  this  Board  into  being  in  1894,  and  of  the 
program  to  which  the  Board  since  that  time,  in  season  and  out  of  season,  and 
•often  under  circumstances  of  extreme  adversity,  has  at  all  times  deemed  itself 
committed.  The  Board  had  never  lost  faitli  that,  if  the  citizens  and  the  pulilic 
authorities  of  the  city  would  support  it  in  its  program,  its  practical  results 
would  be  as  larg-e  and  comprehensively  beneficial  as  those  now  well  in  sight. 

"The  whole  scheme  of  the  Brooklyn  extension,  for  which  the  contract  was  RAPID 

awarded  in  IC)02,  well  illustrates  the  idea  of  a  unified  svstem  of  rapid  transit  TR-^^SIT 

.  ■  ^  SYSTEM  FOR 

for  the  whole  city.    But  the  Board  does  not  for  a  moment  assent  to  the  propo-  ENTIRE  CITY 

sition  that  the  city,  in  order  to  secure  such  utility,  is  shut  up  to  a  contract  with 
any  one  contractor.  The  opportunities  for  municipal  rapid  transit  still  remain- 
ing are  such  that  in  case  lessees  of  the  Manhattan-Bronx  rapid  transit  railroad 
shall  not  find  it  to  their  interest,  or  for  any  reason  shall  fail,  to  propose  to  the 
city  suitable  terms  for  their  undertaking  such  extensions,  the  city  can  still  build 
other  and  through  lines  and  award  them  to  other  lessees.  The  policv  and  inten- 
tion of  the  Board  are,  to  the  very  utmost  that  is  practicable,  to  require  every 
contractor  for  the  construction  and  operation  of  a  municipal  railroad  to  stipu- 
late to  make  fair  operating  arrangements  upon  the  basis  of  a  single  fare  for  a 
single  trip  over  any  or  all  other  municipallv  constructed  railroa.ds. 

"The  Board  feels  further  bound  to  point  out  that,  in  the  future,  the  terms  of 
municipal  rapid  transit  contracts  can  be  had,  and,  therefore,  ought  to  be,  more 
favorable  to  the  city  than  was  the  Manhattan-Bronx  contract.  That  contract 
A\'as  made  at  a  time  wdien  there  was  a  widespread  belief  among  railroad  and 
financial  people  that  it  would  be  a  business  and  financial  failure,  and  when  it 
was  with  the  utmost  difficulty  and  after  very  considerable  delay  that  the  city  was 
able  to  obtain  a  contractor,  and  then  only  after  the  principal  railroad  pro- 
prietors in  the  city  had  refused  to  take  up  the  enterprise.    The  remarkably 


153 


RAPID  TRANSIT 


favorable  character  of  the  bid  for  the  Brooklyn-Manhattan  extension  (being  for 
one-fourth  or  fifth  part  of  its  estimated  cost)  demonstrated  beyond  peradven- 
ture  the  very  great  value  of  the  leases  of  its  municipally  constructed  railroads 
which  the  city  would  be  able  to  offer." 

ACT  One  of  the  most  important  achievements  of  the  Commission  during  the 

CHANGED  j^qQ2  was  a  change  effected  in  the  Rapid  Transit  Act,  Section  '?2.  This 

TO  COVER  ^  ^  .      .  ^ .  . 

FOREIGN  amendment  was  made  necessary  by  the  application  of  the  Pennsylvania  Rail- 

ROADS  road,  through  a  subsidiary  company  known  as  the  Pennsylvania,  New  York  & 
Long  Island  Railroad  Company,  for  the  right  to  construct  a  railroad  beneath 
the  Hudson  River,  Borough  of  Manhattan,  the  East  River  and  a  portion  of  the 
Borough  of  Queens,  with  a  large  terminal  station  to  be  located  in  the  Borough  of 
Manhattan.  The  original  Act  made  no  provision  for  the  granting  of  fran- 
chises to  existing  railroads  desirous  of  entering  the  city.  As  amended  the  Act 
empowered  the  Board  to  grant  a  franchise  to  "any  railroad  corporation  owning  or 
actually  operating  a  railroad  wholly  or  in  part  within  the  limits  of  the  city  in 
which  the  said  Board  has  power  to  act ;  or  of  any  railroad  corporation  now  or 
hereafter  incorporated,  and  for  the  purpose  so  declared  in  its  articles  of  asso- 
ciation, of  constructing  and  operating  a  tunnel  railroad  or  railroads  in  the  said 
city  to  be  connected  with  any  railroad  or  railroads  within  the  State  of  New 
York,  or  any  adjoining  State,  and  thereby  forming  a  continuous  line  for  the 
carriage  of  passengers  and  property  between  a  point  or  j)oints  within  and  a 
point  or  points  without  the  said  city."  * 

Of  still  more  importance  than  the  granting  of  these  franchises  was  the 
work  done  toward  the  general  scheme,  for  the  future  of  municipal  and  other 
rapid  transit  for  the  Boroughs  of  ]\Ianhattan,  Brooklyn,  the  Bronx  and  Queens. 
The  consideration  of  this  question  will  be  found  in  a  following  chapter. 
ROUTE  TO  The  routes  and  general  plan  of  the  Brooklyn-Manhattan  extension  were 
BROOKLYN  taken  up  in  1900  immediately  after  the  contract  had  been  awarded  for  the  Man- 
hattan-Bronx railroad.  They  were  approved  by  the  Board  January  24,  1901 ;  by 
the  Board  of  Aldermen  ]May  21,  and  by  the  Mayor  on  June  i  of  the  same  year. 
As  the  consent  of  a  sufficient  number  of  abutting  property  owners  could  not  be 


*  In  the  chapter  on  "Tunnels"  will  be  found  the  terms  of  the  grants  to  the  Pennsylvania, 
New  York  &  Long  Island  Railroad  Company,  New  York  &  Jersey  Railroad  Company,  and 
the  Hudson  &  Manhattan  Railroad  Company. 

IS4 


WORK  or  COMMISSION  DURING  CONSTRUCTION   OP  SUBWAY. 


secured,  application  for  approval  was  made  to  the  Supreme  Court.   The  report  of 

the  commissioners  appointed  hy  the  court  was  confirmed  January  17,  1902. 

In  prc])arin<>-  the  form  of  the  I'.rookh  n- M anliatlaii  contract  the  lioard  was  NEEDS  OF 

,   .       ■    .  .     ,  .  ...  BROOKLYN 

impressed  with  the  idea  that  the  i)ul)hc  service  rc(|nn\'d  it  to  secure,  it  possible, 

not  only  transportation  over  the  Brooklyn-Manhattan  railroad  for  the  fare  paid, 
but  also  to  provide,  without  additional  fare,  the  most  extensive  systems  of  con- 
nections. In  providing  for  transfers,  it  was  necessary  to  consider  the  relative 
merits,  on  the  one  hand,  of  extensive  connections  in  the  Borough  of  Brooklyn, 
and,  on  the  other  hand,  of  an  extensive  system  of  connections  in  the  Borough  of 
Manhattan.  It  was  clear  that  the  convenience  of  the  Brooklyn  traveling  public 
was  first  to  be  considered ;  since  the  extension  would  be  used  by  residents  of 
Brooklyn  to  a  vastly  greater  extent  than  by  residents  of  the  Borough  of  Man- 
hattan. Nevertlieless,  it  might  be  open  to  doui^t  whether  the  convenience  of 
Brooklyn  would  be  better  promoted  by  additional  convenience  of  distribution  of 
Brooklyn  travelers  over  the  Borough  of  Manhattan,  or  of  additional  con- 
venience of  access  to  the  Brooklyn  terminus  of  the  road,  with  less  convenience  of 
distribution  in  the  Borough  of  Manhattan.  The  committee  of  the  Board, 
entrusted  with  the  preparation  of  the  draft  of  the  contract,  dealt  w^ith  this  ques- 
tion by  making  the  extent  of  the  connections  one  element  of  the  bid. 

A  committee  composed  of  Alexander  E.  Orr  and  Charles  Stewart  Smith 
was  appointed  to  prepare  a  draft  of  the  contract.  In  general  the  contract  fol- 
lowed the  form  of  the  first  one,  but  some  of  the  provisions  were  more  favorable  to 
the  city.  The  most  important  difference  was  the  duration  of  the  franchise,  the 
time,  before  renewal,  being  reduced  from  fifty  to  thirty-five  years.  The 
renewal  is  to  be  for  twenty-tive  years.  Other  conditions  to  be  stipulated  are  as 
follows : 

The  contractor  must  agree  to  construct  the  road,  to  provide  the  equipment  CONDITIONS 

O  F 

and  to  operate  it  for  thirty-five  years.  He  must  stipulate  for  connections  with 
other  rapid  transit  or  surface  lines  in  order  to  furnish  continuous  trips  for  a  NO.  2 
single  fare  not  exceeding  five  cents.  He  must  furnish  $1,000,000  in  cash,  or 
securities  such  as  savings  banks  are  allowed  to  invest  in,  as  security  for  the 
construction  and  equipment  of  the  road.  He  must  give  a  bond  in  a  like 
amount  to  insure  the  payment  of  rental  and  the  performance  of  every  other 
obligation  under  the  contract.  All  bonds  given  by  sub-contractors  must  be 
deposited  with  the  Board  as  additional  security.  After  the  construction  of  the 
road,  the  city  is  to  hold,  as  further  security  for  the  payment  of  the  rent,  a  first 
Hen  upon  the  equipment. 

155 


K.ll'lD  TRANSIT 


The  city,  on  the  other  hand,  is  to  guarantee  to  tlie  contractor  autli(;rity  to 
coni-truct  and  operate  the  road  "free  from  all  right,  claim,  or  other  interfer- 
ence, whether  hy  injunction,  suit  for  damages,  or  otherwise,  on  the  part  of  any 
ahutting  owner  or  other  person." 

The  contractor  is  exempted  from  taxation  under  the  laws  of  New  York  "in 
res|)ect  to  its  interest  in  the  railroad  under  the  contract,  and  in  respect  to  the 
rolling  stock  and  all  other  equipment  of  the  railroad,  except  that  real  estate  for 
[X'w  er  houses,  or  otherwise  foriuing  part  of  the  e(iuii)nient,  shall  not  he  exempted, 
and  that  no  property  of  the  contractor  not  provided  under  and  remaining  sub- 
ject to  the  contract  by  the  city  shall  be  exempted." 

The  contract  contained  the  eight-hour  provision  with  res])ect  to  laborers, 
workmen,  and  mechanics.  The  bid  nuist  include  $[,000,000  for  terminals,  and 
for  real  estate  otherwise  re([uired  for  tiie  operation  of  the  railroad. 

The  rental  was  to  be  the  amount  of  interest  the  city  must  pay  upon  the 
bonds  issued  to  jjrovide  the  cost  of  con.struction,  and  a  further  sum  of  not  less 
than  one  per  cent,  upon  the  bonds.  The  contractor  nuist  also  pay  rental  upon 
the  amount  paid  by  the  city  to  acquire  rights  of  way,  even  when  nf)t 
acquired  in  fee. 

STATION  Xo  advertisements  to  be  displayed  at  the  stations  without  special  permis- 
sion of  the  Board.  The  speed  to  be  not  less  than  14  miles  per  hour,  includ- 
ing stops. 

The  contractor  may  use  the  railroad  for  freight  or  express  matter,  provided 
such  use  does  not  interfere  with  right  passenger  service. 

The  report  of  the  connnittee  concludes  as  follows: 

CONTRACTOR         "The  committee  desires  to  remind  the  Board  that  although  its  success  with 

FAIRLY  fi,,,  ]\Ianhattan-Bronx  contract  has  made  rapid  transit  prospects  far  better  than 
DEALT  WITH 

they  were,  nevertheless  it  is  the  true  interest  of  the  city,  not  only  to  secure  the 
lowest  possible  bid,  but  to  establish  the  reputation  of  the  city  for  wise  and  fair 
dealing  upon  the  highest  possible  plane.  The  contractor  should  be  treated  with 
such  scrupulous  fairness  that  the  city  shall  secure  the  very  best  and  most  loyal 
service,  and  that,  whenever  in  the  future  the  city  has  a  contract  to  award  for  a 
municipal  rapid  transit  railroad,  it  shall  have  a  choice  from  the  very  best  and 
most  competent  contractors.  The  committee  has,  in  this  view,  followed  the  gen- 
eral provisions  of  the  ^lanhattan-Bronx  contract,  according  to  the  contractor,  in 
precise  and  intelligible  form,  proper  and  efificient  protection  of  his  rights,  as 


ADVERTISE 
MENTS 


156 


irok'K  Ol'  COMMISSIOX  IH-UI.Xa  COXSTRUCTIOX  Ol-'  SI  ■  nil  ' A  y. 


well  a?  securing-  to  the  city  full  protection  of  municipal  rights,  and  as  far  as 
reasonable  protectint^  the  contractor  from  ca])rice  or  uncerlaint\-  in  the  interpre- 
tation of  his  contract  ohlit^ation.  The  committee  is  clear  that,  whatever  ma\  he 
the  rule  or  the  iiUerest  of  the  city  with  res])ect  to  olhrr  contracts,  this  is  the 
onlv  true  thet)ry  with  respect  to  a  rai)iil  transit  contract." 

The  road  is  to  extend  from  the  junction  of  I'ark  row  and  r>roadway  ROUTE 
uniU-r  r.roadway,  llowlins^-  (ireen,  Mattery  ])lace.  State  street  and  I'.attery  Park, 
with  a  loop  under  liattery  Park  and  Whitehall  street.  I'rom  tin  ri'  it  is  to  ]iass 
under  the  luist  River  to  h'urman  street,  llrooklyu,  ;md  thence  uudrr  joralemon 
au'I  I'^iltori  streets  and  Flathush  avenue  to  the  junctinn  of  Jdathush  and  Atlantic 
avenues.  The  entire  line  is  t(.)  ]k-  under^found.  At  the  l^attcry  the  r.rooki\n 
line  ]iasses  under  the  Manhatt;ui  line  so  as  to  avoid  a  tirade  crossiui;'. 

Three  bids  were  received  on  July  21,  i<)02. 

One  was  from  the  P>rooklvn  Ivai/id  Transit  Comnanv,  in  the  name  of  I'ohu  L.  BIDS 

'      ■  ,    .      "  RECEIVED 

A\  ells,  an  attorney  of  that  company.    This  offered  to  do  the  work  tor  $7,000,- 

000  for  construction  and  $1,000,000  for  terminals. 

The  other  two  bids  were  b_\-  the  Rajiid  'i'ransit  Sttbway  Construction  Com- 
pany, one  for  $3,000,000  for  construction  and  $r, 000,000  for  terminals,  the  other 
for  $2,000,000  for  construction  and  $1,000,000  for  terminals.  It  will  be  recalled 
that  this  company  was  engaged,  with  J<^hu  P..  ^McDonald,  in  the  construction  of 
the  ^Janhattan-Rronx  hue.  Both  these  bids  i)rescnted  tlie  following  system  of 
connecting  service  and  transfer : 

Connecting  lines  over  which  the  contractor  will  assure  to  any  passenger  a  TRANSFERS 
contintious  trip  for  a  single  fare  not  exceeding  five  cents  withottt  change  of 
cars :  The  lines  operated  or  to  be  operated  by  the  Interborough  Rapid  Transit 
Company,  in  the  Boroughs  of  Manhattan  and  the  Bronx  as  now  authorized, 
■excepting  in  the  case  where  the  contractor  shall  have  entered  into  an  agree- 
ment with  a  connecting  line  to  carry  a  passenger  for  less  than  five  cents,  the 
Interborough  Company  will  not  agree  in  such  case  to  carry  such  passenger 
beyond  Fifty-ninth  street  for  the  less  fare. 

The  two  bids  were  identical  in  all  respects  except  amount,  and  the  larger 
was  accompanied  by  a  letter  from  Mr.  McDonald  stating  that  if  the  Board 
accepted  that  bid  he  would  agree  to  construct  an  extension  of  the  Manhattan- 
P>ronx  system  front  Forty-second  street  on  Broadwav  south  to  Union  Square 
lor  $100,000,  provided  the  contract  was  awarded  to  him  before  July  T,  1903. 


157 


RAPID  TRANSIT 


The  Board  accepted  the  lowest  bid,  and  the  contract  was  executed  September  ii, 

1902.    Construction  was  begun  November  8,  following. 

ADVANTAGES         The  Jloard  was  of  the  opinion  tlial  two  most  important  advantages  would 

OF  BID  q[^y  result  of  this  contract.    "The  estimated  cost  of  con- 

ACCEPTED 

struction  of  the  proposed  road  is  from  $8,000,000  to  $10,000,000.  By  obtain- 
ing a  responsible  company,  willing  to  use  in  large  part  its  own  money,  so  that  it 
could  build  the  road  for  only  $2,000,000  of  the  city's  funds,  the  city  was  saved 
tlio  necessity  of  issuing  $6,000,000  or  more  of  bonds.  Again,  by  awarding  the 
contract  to  a  company  that  could  and  did  deliver,  in  accordance  with  the 
teims  of  its  bid,  a  contract  for  connections  and  through  service  with  the  Man- 
hattan-r)ron.\  railroad,  it  was  assured  that  these  two  roads  would  always  be 
maintained  and  operated  as  parts  of  one  great  system.  By  that  auxiliary  con- 
tract the  (|ucstion  of  a  single  fare  was  solved  as  to  both  of  the  municipal  rail- 
roads. One  fare  of  five  cents  will  carry  a  passenger  to  all  parts  of  the  Brooklyn- 
jManhattan  and  Manhattan-Bronx  systems." 

About  the  middle  of  1903  the  Interborough  Rapid  Transit  Company  informed 
the  Pioard  that  it  had  made  arrangements  with  the  company  operating  the  Fort 
Lee  Ferry  by  which  passengers  could  be  carried  over  the  raj^id  transit  railroad 
and  the  ferry  for  a  single  fare  of  five  cents,  provided  an  elevated  road  could  be 
budt  to  connect  the  rapid  transit  viaduct  with  the  ferry.  The  advantages  of 
this  proposition  were  so  obvious  that  the  Board  readily  agreed  to  the 
extension. 

MOVING  For  several  years  the  Board  had  under  consideration  the  moving  plat- 
PLATFORMS  form  question.  Early  in  1903  the  proposition  came  up  for  building  one  to  run 
over  the  west  end  of  the  Williamsburg  Bridge,  along  Grand,  Center,  and  Wil- 
liam streets  to  Wall,  and  then  by  some  suitable  connection  to  Hanover  Square  or 
Bowling  Green.  The  device  proposed  was  similar  to  that  installed  in  Paris  in 
1900  and  in  Chicago  in  1893.  It  consisted  of  moving  platforms  running 
parallel  to  each  other  but  at  different  speeds,  so  that  passengers  could  step 
from  a  stationary  platform  to  a  moving  platform,  and  from  that  to  another  plat- 
form moving  at  a  higher  speed.  A  committee  appointed  by  the  Board  was 
favorable  to  the  plan  in  general,  but  it  was  thought  best  to  consider  several 
details  in  reference  to  the  route  in  Manhattan  so  that  it  would  not  conflict  with 
proposed  or  possible  rapid  transit  railroads.  In  the  year  following,  the  matter 
w^as  again  brought  to  the  attention  of  the  Board,  with  reference  to  a  crosstown 
line  to  be  built  along  Thirty-fourth  street.    The  Board  expressed  the  opinion 


158 


II  ORK  OF  COMMISSION  DURING  CONSTRrCTION  OF  SUBWAY. 


that  the  vahie  of  such  a  hue,  if  the  system  was  ])r;u-tical)le  u])on  a  large  scale, 
could  hardly  be  a  matter  of  doubt. 

During-  the  year  the  Hoard  received  ai)i)licali( m  I'rdtn  the  New  York  Cou- 
nectiiiL;-  Railroad  for  a  j^rant  to  councct  its  lines  in  Hrooklxn  willi  those  of  the 
X'.'w  York,  New  Haven  &  Hartford  Railroad  in  the  I'.ronx,  passing  through 
the  Horough  of  Queens  and  across  Ward's  Island  and  Randall's  Island.  This 
franchise  was  transmitted  to  the  Board  of  Aldermen  June  27,  1904,  but  was  not 
approwd  hy  that  body. 

llelore  the  opening  of  the  Subwav  (now  known  as  Contract  No.  i)  the  EQUIPMENT 
Board  caused  careful  investigation  to  be  made  regarding  the  rolling  stock  and 
ecptipment  that  the  Rapid  Transit  Company  had  contracted  to  furnish,  with  a 
to  determine  whether  the  safety  of  passengers  was  profjerly  provided  for. 
Reports  showed  that  the  rolling  stock  represented  the  best  state  of  the  art  of 
car  construction ;  Init  it  was  thought  that  cars  constructed  entirely  of  metal 
were  needed  in  order  to  eliminate  dangers  from  fire.  The  experiments  insti- 
tuted by  the  Interborough  Company  in  the  construction  of  metal  cars  were 
successful,  and  many  of  these  cars  are  now  in  use.  The  intention  is  to  sub- 
stitute metal  cars  as  soon  as  they  can  be  completed  and  put  in  service.  The 
subway  will  then  be  equipped  with  a  much  better  type  of  rolling  stock  than  any 
other  similar  railway  in  the  world. 

Careful  attention  was  also  given  to  the  system  of  signals  and  method  of  RENTAL  TO 

B  E  PA  I D 

protecting  the  third  rail.  A  more  extended  consideration  of  these  features  will  be 
found  in  the  chapter  on  "Equipment." 

The  first  contract  provided  for  the  division  of  the  road  into  four  sections, 
and  that  the  payment  of  rental  should  begin,  in  respect  to  each,  as  soon  as  it 
was  completed  and  ready  for  operation.  These  sections  did  not,  however,  agree 
with  the  portions  of  the  road  as  they  were  successively  put  in  operation.  It 
therefore  became  necessary  to  adjust  the  questions  of  the  method  of  computing 
rental  in  respect  to  the  successive  parts  of  the  road  as  they  were  opened.  On 
November  3,  1904,  a  supplemental  agreement  was  made  by  the  contractor  and 
his  sureties,  which  provided  that  the  agreed  percentage  to  be  paid  bv  the  lessee 
should  be  calculated  upon  such  proportion  of  the  total  cost  of  each  section  as 
the  number  of  feet  of  single  track  in  the  part  ready  for  operation  should  bear  to 
the  total  number  of  feet  of  single  track  in  the  section. 

In  accordance  with  the  contract,  the  contractor  had  deposited  with  the 
Comptroller  $1,000,000  in  cash  as  security  for  construction.    When  the  time  1 

1.59 


RAriD  TRANSIT 


CASH  approached  for  the  opening"  of  the  road,  he  represented  to  the  ]')0;ird  tlie  hard- 
S^CURITY 

j^P^uj^j^gj^  ship  of  retaining  so  large  a  sum  to  secure  the  completion  of  work  wliich  was 
very  nearly  finished.  'Jdie  Board  returned  the  amount  u])i)n  the  condition  that 
the  securities  upon  tlii'  ])onds  for  $5,000,000,  including  tiie  Interljorough  Com- 
pany, would  agree  that  their  res])onsihility  extended  t()  includi'  an\-  liahility  that 
would  have  heen  covered  hy  the  cash  deposits  if  the\-  had  not  heen  refunded. 
'Jlie  contract  for  the  ])resent  suh\\a\'  contained  the  ffjllowing  clause: 

"The  contractor  shall  not  permit  advertisements  in  the  statioiis  or  cars  that 
shall  interfere  with  easv  identification  of  stations  or  otherwise  with  etiicient 
operatic  m." 

In  regard  to  this  tlu-  Hoard  said: 

"This  clause  was  inserted  in  the  form  of  contract  prepared  liy  the  Board 
l)ecause  it  was  ijelie\ed  to  he  the  ])art  of  wisdom  t(j  offer  all  possihle  induce- 
ments to  hidders  to  undertake  the  novel  and  hazardous  work  of  huilding  the  rail- 
way i)ro])osed.  It  was  thought  that  although  it  was  e.xtremel}'  desirahle  to  pro- 
hihit  the  use  of  advertisements  in  the  stations,  yet  this  consideration  must  give 
way  to  the  more  important  consideration  of  securing  a  contractor.  I'.very  previ- 
ous effort  of  the  citv  had  failed,  and  it  was  known  that  the  largest  railroad  inter- 
ests in  the  city  did  not  Ijelieve  in  the  feasibility  of  the  plans  of  the  lioard. 
ADVERTISING  "Shortiv  after  the  rail  put  in  operation  large  advertisements,  in 

some  cases  coming  down  to  the  iloor,  were  affixed  to  the  walls  of  the  stations  hy 
the  firm  of  Ward  Gow.  acting  under  ;m  a.rrangement  made  between  them  and 
the  Interborough  Rapid  Transit  C'om])any,  the  terms  of  which  the  latter  have 
declined  to  communicate  to  the  Board.  These  advertisements  were  of  strong" 
colors,  and  if  lirought  in  close  contact  with  the  name  tablets  in  the  stations,  were 
thought  to  be  likely  to  obscure  them  or  confuse  the  eyes  of  the  passengers." 

In  reporting"  upon  this  subject  the  chief  engineer  of  the  Board  said: 

"From  a  study  of  the  operation  of  the  road  since  its  opening  it  is  apparent 
that  it  is  verv  nuich  more  dilficult  for  passengers  on  the  trains  to  locate  the 
stations  in  the  subway  than  it  is  on  the  elevated  railroads,  where  passengers  can 
recognize  the  locality  from  the  surrounding  buildings.  Between  the  stations  in 
the  subwav  there  is  nothing  to  warn  the  eye  of  the  passenger  what  point  he  is 
approaching.  Except  for  some  peculiarities  in  the  shape  or  color  of  stations 
which  are  not  very  apparent  to  unobservant  or  preoccupied  people,  the  names  on 

160 


SIGNS 


irok'K  OF  COMMISSlOX  J>i  l^l.\G  CONSTRUCTION  OF  SUBWAY. 


the  slalion  w.nlls  arc  the  only  means  of  identification.  Tl  is  therefore  most  essen- 
tial for  the  easy  identification  of  stations  that  their  names  should  he  clearly 
visihle." 

The  counsel  nf  ilie  i'xiard  said  llial  the  full  <hU\  of  the  Hoard  \v<'uld  he 
performed  if  it  took  i)ains  in  see  thai  the  advertisements  did  not  in  fact  "inter- 
fere with  easy  identification  of  stations,  or  otherwise  with  efficient  operation." 
leaving-  it  to  the  lessie  to  defi-nd  itself  in  com"t  a.i^ainst  any  attack  that  nu'i^ht  he 
made. 

Arran<;emenls  were  made  1)\-  the   Hoard   for  the  ac(|uisition  of  rii;hts  of  ENTRANCES 

THROUGH 

way  for  station  entrances  at  Astor  ])lace,  (Irand  Central,  and  Forty-second  street  pj^iY^jg; 
and  Broadway.    At  the  latter  station,  "'rimes  S(juare,"  the  owners  of  the  prop-  PROPERTY 
erty  agreed  to  maintain  an  entrance  through  their  huilding'  at  all  hours  of  the 
day  and  night,  and  to  keep  it  suitahly  lighted.    The  Board  therefore  authorized 
the  contractor  to  omit  one  of  the  ki(/sks  planned  for  the  corner  of  tlie  street  at 
that  point.    On  this  general  suhject  the  Board  said: 

"At  certain  other  points  entrances  to  private  property  have  heen  under  dis- 
cussion, and  it  is  the  desire  of  the  Board,  so  far  as  possible,  to  do  awav  in  pres- 
ent and  future  subways  with  entrances  that  occupy  rhe  public  streets.  On 
April  14,  I<P4,  the  Board  adopted  a  resolution  that  it  would  consent  that 
entrances  to  stations  from  private  property  should  be  given  free  of  charge 
where,  in  the  opinion  of  the  Board,  such  an  entrance  would  be  for  the  benefit  of 
the  traveling  public  and  would  not  be  for  other  reasons  objectionable,  provided 
that  in  all  cases  the  expense  connected  therewith  should  be  borne  by  the  appli- 
cants, and  provided  further  that  such  permit  should  be  revocable  by  the  Board  or 
other  legal  authority  acting  in  its  stead  for  the  city  of  New  York." 

In  the  foregoing  we  have  only  briefly  meritioned  some  of  the  most  impor- 
tant acts  of  the  Rapid  Transit  Commission  from  the  date  of  the  letting  of  the 
contract  up  to  the  present.  After  ten  years  of  hard,  incessant  toil  the  Board 
was  now  to  see  the  completion  of  the  first  portion  of  its  task. 


161 


CHAPTER  XVII. 


OPENING  THE  SUBWAY. 


OPENING  certinonies  incident  to  tlie  opening  of  the  Snbway  took  place  in  the 

CEREMONIES  City  Hall,  October  27,  1904.  Mayor  Geo.  B.  McClellan,  with  Archbishop  Farley, 
led  the  procession  to  reserved  seats  in  the  Aldermanic  Chamber,  l-'ollowing 
them  were  President  Fornes  of  the  Board  of  Aldermen  with  Coadjutor  Bishop 
Greer;  President  Orr  with  Father  Lavelle  of  St.  Patrick's  Cathedral;  John  H. 
Starin  with  ex-Mayor  \'anWyck;  Comptroller  Edward  M.  Grout,  and  Deputy 
Comptrollers  J.  W.  Stevenson  and  N.  Taylor  Phillips ;  Morris  K.  Jesup,  Wood- 
bury Eangdon,  John  Claflin,  Charles  Stewart  Smith,  August  l.elmont,  John  B. 
McDonald,  William  Barclay  Parsons,  Edward  M.  Shepard,  Albert  B.  Board- 
man,  George  L.  Rives,  George  S.  Rice  and  H.  .\.  D.  Ifollniaiin.  A  large  num- 
ber of  other  citizens  were  present. 

After  a  brief  address  by  President  Fornes  and  prayer  by  Bishop  Greer  the 
Mayor  said : 

MAYOR  ■"Without  rapid  transit  Greater  New-  York  would  be  little  more  than  a 

McCLELLAN  geographical  expression.  It  is  no  exaggeration  to  say  that  without  interborough 
communication  Greater  New  YorK  would  never  have  come  into  being. 

"The  present  boundaries  of  our  city  included,  ten  years  ago,  a  multitude  of 
independent  and  heterogeneous  communities,  which  would  have  continued,  in 
all  human  probability,  to  work  out  their  own  destinies  independently,  had  it  not 
been  that  modern  genius  and  modern  enterprise  afforded  their  population  the 
possibility  of  movement. 

"When  the  Brooklyn  Bridge  was  opened  Greater  New  York  was  born. 
Every  addition  to  transit  facilities  has  added  to  her  growth,  which  can  only 
reach  its  full  development  when  a  complete  S3'stem  of  rapid  transit  shall  be 
rai)id  in  fact  as  well  as  in  name.    *    *  * 

"We  have  met  here  to-day  for  the  purpose  of  turning  over  a  new  page  in 
the  history  of  New  York ;  for  the  purpose  of  marking  the  advent  of  a  new 
epoch  in  her  development.     If  this  new  underground  railroad  that  we  are 


OPENING  THE  SUBWAY 


about  to  open  proves  as  popular  and  as  successful  as  I  conlidenlly  expect  it  to  l)e,  it 
will  only  be  the  first  of  many  more  that  must  ultimately  result  in  giving  us  an 
almost  perfect  system  of  intirljorcnigli  conmnniiralion.  Wlun  that  day  arrives 
borough  boundaries  will  be  remembered  only  for  administrative  jjurposcs.  and 
New  Yorkers,  forgetting  from  what  part  of  the  city  they  come,  and  only  con- 
scious of  the  fact  that  they  are  the  sons  of  the  mightiest  metropolis  the  world 
has  ever  seen,  will  be  actuated  by  a  common  hope  and  united  in  a  common 
destiny." 

Chief  Engineer  Parsons,  on  being  introduced  by  the  Mayor,  said : 

"I  have  the  honor  and  very  great  pleasure  to  report  that  the  rapid  transit 
railroad  is  completed  for  operation  from  the  City  Hall  station  to  the  station  at 
One-hundred-and-forty-lifth  street,  on  the  west  side." 

President  Orr  said :  . 

"Mr.  Chairman — On  behalf  of  the  Rapid  Transit  Commission,  whom  I  MR.  ORR 
have  the  honor  to  represent,  I  congratulate  you,  and  through  you  the  people  of 
New  York,  upon  the  successful  completion  of  a  large  part  of  the  first  division  of 
the  great  work  confided  to  our  care  a  few  years  ago.  I  think  it  is  unnecessary  to 
occupy  your  time  in  speaking  of  the  subway  that  you  are  about  to  open  to  the 
public,  as  it  will  soon  speak  for  itself,  and  in  a  manner  that  I  believe  will  carry 
conviction  to  every  one  who  investigates  it  or  enjoys  its  benefits,  that  it  is  in  the 
line  of  an  ideal  system  of  local  transportation  for  this  city,  and  indeed  I  may 
add  for  all  large  cities  where  time,  comfort,  and  safety  are  considered  essen- 
tials.   *    *  * 

"It  is  unnecessary  to  argue,  for  I  think  it  must  now  be  apparent  to  every  FRANCHISES 
thoughtful  mind,  that  among  the  most  valuable  assets  a  large  city  can  possess 
are  to  be  classed  its  franchise  rights.  This  opinion  has  not  always  prevailed 
either  here  or  in  cities  of  the  Old  World,  and  as  a  consequence,  many  of  New 
York's  franchise  rights  have  been  disposed  of  without  giving  due  consideration  to 
future  possibilities,  which,  if  under  her  control  to-day,  would  be  of  incalculable 
value.  I  use  the  word  "incalculable"  advisedly ;  for  it  is  very  safe  to  say  that  in 
things  American  it  is  impossible  to  forecast  the  future  for  a  single  generation, 
indeed  I  might  say  for  a  single  decade.  Will  any  one  undertake  to  picture  the 
New  York  of  thirty  years  hence?    In  each  of  the  civilized  countries  of  later 

163 


KAl'lU  THAN  SIT 


years  iIktc-  is  only  one  great  metropolitan  city,  larj^ely  the  result  of  im])roved 
methods  oi  natitmal  trans|)ortati<in,  an.l  all  roads  lead  up  to  it  in  which  are  ccn- 
ti'red  the  cultiirr.  the  relinenient^.  and  the  wt'allh  of  the  nation.  Just  as  Lon- 
don is  the  mc'lropolis  of  (ireat  liritain  and  1 'aris  of  l-'rancc,  so  is  New  York 
the  nKtrop(ili>  nf  tlu'  I'niied  Slates.  1  know  we  have  many  lar<;c  and  growing 
cities,  hut  if  wt-  are  true  to  ourselves  and  do  not  overlook  or  recklessly  cast 
aside  nur  (ii)])ortunities,  this  countr\-  of  ours,  great  as  it  is,  can  only  have  one 
New  N Drk. 

'"With  the  growth  of  the  cit\'  its  franchise  rights  increase'  in  \'alue.  aiul 
hence  the  netd  df  tluir  ])eriodic  readjustment  so  that  the  city  may  enjoy  from 
time  to  time  its  fair  jjmportion  of  the  iuci  ease  it  helps  to  create.  1  do  not  wish  it 
to  he  understood  that  I  mean  franchise  rights  sliould  he  denied  to  carefully 
considered  enter|)rises  at  their  fair  value  when  applied  for,  for  enterprise  stimu- 
lates de\elo])meiit  ;  hut  enterprise  sliould  not  ohject  to  pay  at  fixed  periods  of 
future  readjustment  its  fair  ])roi)ortion  of  the  increase  predicated  on  the  con- 
<lilions  as  the\  will  then  exist,  else  the  errors  of  the  ])ast,  which  in  th.e  light  of 
to-da\'  we  now  deplore,  would  fail  of  correction. 
PENNSYL-  "Who  could  liave  foretold,  twenty-five  years  ago,  that  one  of  our  most 

important  railroad  svstems  would  make  a])plication  to  enter  this  cit\'  in  tun- 
nels under  the  streets,  at  a  dei)th  helow  tlieir  surface  that  would  not  interfere 
with  anv  jjresent  or  ])rosi)ective  street  ])iu'i)ose,  and  agree  to  ])ay  for  the 
pri\'ilege  an  .annual  ri-nt  per  mile  of  single  irack  greater  than  the  annual  net 
earning  ])ower  per  mile  ot  almost  any  steam  railroad  in  the  L'nited  .States;  and 
who  will  undertake  now  to  estimate  what  will  be  the  fair  value  of  that  franchise 
twentv-tive  vears  hence,  which  is  secured  to  the  city  through  the  introduction 
into  the  agreement  of  a  ])rovisi()n  for  readjustment  at  the  end  of  that  ])eriod? 
It  is  ar,  im|)erative  ol)lig;ition.  resting  'ijion  those  endowed  with  the  authoritv  to 
grant  franchise  rights,  to  ])rotect  not  only  the  present  hut  also  the  prospective 
values  of  these  most  imjiortant  assets. 

SUBWAY  "And  I  am  also  led  to  believe  that  sulwvay  con.structior.  imder  municipal 

CONSTRUC- 
TION ONLY  ownershiji  is  onlv  in  its  first  stage  of  development.    Every  city  is  divided  into 

BEGUN  two  great  sections,  the  business  ar.d  the  residential,  and  the  larger  the  citv  the 

further  these  sections  will  lie  apart,  and  passenger  transportation  is  an  important 

factor.    Surface  railroads  are  serviceable  for  short  distances,  and  will  ahvavs 

have  their  place,  but  they  are  not  applicable  to  long  distance  street  travel.   At  best 

thev  are  an  aggregation  of  grade  crossings,  subject  to  continual  interruptions 


VANIA 
TUNNELS 


164 


or  LINING  THE  SUBWAY 


that  caniiiit  lie  olixialrd,  nor  can  dciicniK'nc','  \k-  u|hiii  reaching-  a  (lesti:ia- 

lion  at  a  j^ivcn  lime. 

"ll  cannol  W  denied  tliat  elevatcl  railroads  liavc  i)roved  of  inestimable  ELEVATED 
value  in  liasteninL;'  the  city"s  develo])nient,  and  also  a  j^reat  j)ersonal  con- 
venience as  to  time;  but  they  are  unsi<;-htly  in  aiipearance.  intert'ere  with  li,i;hl 
and  ventilation  in  the  congested  streets,  in  many  instances  injure  the  value  of 
abtUting  ])roi)erty,  and  at  times  are  subject  to  serious  delays  through  atmos- 
pheric chang-es.  I  ([uestion  whether  further  elevated  railroad-building  will  liave 
nianv  advocates  in  the  future,  except  in  sparsely  inhabited  outlying  territory,  or 
for  bridge  ai)proaches,  or  that  it  a\ou1(1  have  been  advocated,  in  the  first 
instance,  if  the  electric  conditions  of  to-day  had  then  ol)tained.  In  subway  pas- 
seng'er  ser\-ice  all  these  objectionable  features  are  eliminated,  and  the  promised 
'Ilarlem  in  fifteen  minutes,'  and  other  places  in  proportion,  via  subway  trans- 
portation, has  passed  beyond  the  realm  of  conjecture  and  become  an  estab- 
lish.ed  fact. 

"I  also  desire  on  behalf  of  the  Commission  to  express  the  hope  that  in  future  pipe 
subway  construction  the  citv  will  make  provision  for  the  installation  of  pipe  GALLERIES 
galleries  along  the  routes.  It  is  true  that  these  pipe  galleries  are  not  in  any  way  a 
rapid  transit  requisite,  and'  are,  therefore,  outside  of  the  province  of  the  Com- 
mission to  construct,  but  they  could  be  put  in  place  at  a  minimum  of  cost  dur- 
ing the  process  of  tunnel  excavation,  would  prevent  the  inconvenience  of  con- 
tinual street  disturbance  in  the  future,  and  would,  we  believe,  prove  a  profitable 
source  of  revenue  to  the  city  in  proportion  to  their  cost.  It  has  ahvavs  been  a 
regret  to  the  members  of  the  Commission  that  permission  could  not  have  been, 
obtained  to  install  pipe  galleries  in  Xew  Elm  street  and  low'er  Broadw-ay  during 
subway  construction,  by  way  of  practical!}-  demonstrating  the  convenience  and 
revenue  to  be  derived  from  such  a  system. 

"^^'hen,  in  1894,  the  Chamber  of  Commerce,  that  time  honored  guardian  of  CHAMBER  OF 
the  commercial  interests  of  this  city  and  State,  reanzing  the  need  of  enlarged  ^'^^'^^'^^^ 
local  transit  facilities  as  a  means  of  retaining  the  prominence  New  York  had 
already  acciuired  and  of  insuring  its  continual  growth,  earnestlv  advocated  the 
building  of  subways  through  which  electric  trains  could  be  run  at  high  rates  oi 
speed,  they  adopted  the  plan  of  municipal  ownership  that  the  late  Abram  S. 
Hewitt,  when  Mayor  of  this  city  in  1888,  had  urged  without  success.  Happih' 
Mr.  Hewitt  was  one  of  the  Chamber's  most  prominent  members,  and,  guided  b\- 
his  intelligent  supervision,  and  assisted  by  the  late  Judge  Henrv  R.  Beekiuan, 

16; 


OPENING  THE  SUBWAY 


the  Chamber  forniulated  the  present  Rapid  Transit  Act,  under  whicli,  with  a  FUTURE 
few  subsequent  anicndincnts,  the  Rapid  Transit  Commission  is  now  operating. 
It  is  unnecessary  at  this  time  to  enumerate  its  provisions — they  arc  pretty  well 
known — but  when  tliis  city  is  in  the  full  enjoyment  of  its  own  system  of  rapid 
transit,  a  system  not  confined  to  one  or  two  localities,  but  so  comprehensive  as  to 
embrace  the  whole  of  Greater  New  York,  which  will  transport  its  citizens  from 
one  station  point  to  any  other  station  point  for  a  single  fare  (as  I  firmly  believe 
will  be  the  ultimate  result),  which  will  increase  municipal  revenues  through  the 
development  of  places  that  are  now  comparatively  waste,  which  will  help  to 
safeguard  to  New  York  her  well-earned  position  as  the  financial  and  commer- 
cial center  of  the  United  States,  and  all  this  at  a  mere  bagatelle  of  cost  to  the 
treasury  of  the  city,  then,  and  not  till  then,  will  the  genius  of  Mr.  Hewitt  and 
the  enterprise  and  energy  of  the  Chamber  of  Commerce  be  fully  understood. 

"Viewed  from  the  standpoint  of  to-day,  it  is  a  singular  fact  that  only  a  MUNICIPAL 

OWNERSHIP 

little  more  than  four  years  ago  subway  construction  under  municipal  Owner- 
ship was  regarded  with  suspicion  and  distrust  by  those  largely  identified  with 
local  and  national  passenger  transportation,  and,  as  far  as  I  have  been  able  to 
discover,  with  the  single  notable  exception  referred  to  above,  by  the  prominent 
financiers  of  that  period.  If  it  had  rested  with  the  men  controlling  these  great 
interests,  I  think  I  am  justified  in  saying  that  municipal  rapid  transit  would 
yet  remain  an  unsolved  problem. 

"It  is,  therefore,  with  a  feeling  somewhat  akin  to  gratitude  that  the  Com- 
mission makes  record  of  the  fact  that  on  January  15,  1900,  John  B.  McDonald, 
neither  a  railroad  man  nor  a  financier,  but  a  contractor  identified  with  large 
undertakings,  after  making  a  careful  study  of  the  situation,  had  the  courage  of 
his  convictions  and  made  an  acceptable  tender  for  the  franchise  contract  and 
lease  which  the  Commission  were  empowered  to  grant. 

"Immediately  after  the  contract  was  awarded,  August  Belmont  became 
associated  with  Mr.  McDonald  and  organized  the  Rapid  Transit  Subway  Con- 
struction Company,  b\-  whom  the  subway  has  been  built.  That  the  work  has 
been  rapidly,  admirably,  and  willingly  performed  is  certified  to  by  our  engineer 
corps ;  and  when  public  inspection  is  made  evidences  of  refinement,  comfort  and 
safety  will  be  observed  that  are  not  to  be  found  anywhere  in  like  structures.  I 
am  not  in  the  confidence  of  Messrs.  McDonald  and  Belmont  as  to  the  present  or 
prospective  financial  outcome  of  their  undertaking,  but  I  am  sure  I  express  the 

167 


oi'i-:mx(,  Jim  sriuf/iv 


li()]K'  of  the  iiirinbiTs  nl  tlu-  ( 'uiuniission,  and  ol  cvctv  Xcw  \  ork  citizen,  lliat 
their  Cdurai^i'  and  enter])rise  nia\   reap  a  \-ery  i^eneroiis  reward.  ' 

Mr.  (  )rr  then  i)aiil  a  ver\  warm  irihnle  tn  Mr.  I'arsons,  the  chief  engineer  of  PARSONS 
the  Commission,  wlio  had  hi'i'n  elected  t()  tlie  ])osition  on  the  (hiy  the  i'.oard 
or,L;ani/.e(h  as  follows:  "'Jdie  Commission  is  res])onsil)le  for  llic  subway  route. 
Thvv  were  controlled  in  a  mc-asuri'  hy  tiu  amotmt  of  money  at  their  disposition, 
and  hv  the  previous  findings  of  the  Appellate  Division  of  the  ."-^uijreme  Court; 
but  the  merit  of  the  plan  of  construciion  and  its  su])er\ision  from  be5.>^innin<?  to 
end  is  Mr.  Parsons"  alone.  When  we  consider  its  twenty-four  miles  of  len.qth, 
runniiii;-  throus^h  some  of  the  ])us!est  and  most  congested  sections  of  the  city, 
the  nature  of  the  g-roimd,  largely  of  rock  formation,  the  superstructures  to  be 
carried,  consisting  in  most  part  of  water  and  gas  mains  and  surface  railroads 
(the  operating  of  which  latter  was  not  suspended  for  a  single  day),  the  difficult 
sewerage  problems  involved,  and  th.en  the  final  result,  it  is  not  to  be  wondered  at 
that  Mr.  Parsons'  professional  reputation  has  passed  beyond  the  confines  of  his 
native  city  and  received  well  merited  national  and  international  recognition.  I 
never  returned  from  any  of  my  visits  to  the  subway  during  the  progress  of  the 
work  without  being  more  and  more  impressed  with  the  magnitude  of  the  engineer- 
ing difficulties  presented,  and  the  magnificent  manner  in  which  they  were  being- 
overcome.  As  long  as  the  subway  is  made  to  render  service  to  the  people  of 
New  York,  the  Chamber  of  Commerce,  Abram  S.  Hewitt,  John  B.  AIcDonald, 
August  Belmont  and  \A'illiam  Barclay  Parsons  should  be  held  in  remembrance  as 
household  words.    *    *    *  " 

Joim  H.  Starin  briefly  reviewed  the  work  of  the  Commission  since  its  incep-  MR.  STARIN- 
tion  in  1894  and  then  said  : 

"Since  the  execution  of  the  contract  between  the  city  and  Mr.  McDonald,  on 
the  2ist  of  February,  1900,  the  work  of  construction  has  been  carried  on  entirely 
under  the  supervision  of  this  Commission.  The  Board  has  continued,  witii 
only  a  few'  changes  in  its  membership,  practically  as  at  that  time,  and  I  may 
safely  say  that  it  has  been  as  devoted  to  its  work  as  if  the  railroad  was  being 
constructed  with  the  money  of  its  members,  ^^'inter  and  summer,  in  season 
and  out  of  season,  it  has  met  both  as  a  full  Board,  of  which  hundreds  of  ses- 
sions have  been  held,  and  in  committees,  of  which  the  meetings  are  without 
number.  And  at  all  times  its  members  have  given  a  patient  and  ex])ert  care 
and  attention  to  every  c|uestion,  no  matter  how  trivial,  that  might  in  an\-  wav 

169 


RAPID  TRANSIT 


affect  the  quality  and  value  and  usefulness  of  the  great  railroad  system  that  is 

to-day  thrown  open  to  the  public.    *    *  * 

PUBLIC  "Since  the  signing  of  the  first  contract  in  1900,  a  great  revolution  in  public 

OPINION  opinion  has  taken  place  regardiu"-  city  tr;ivel.    Mv  mind  goes  back  to  the  time 
CHANGED  1  .  .  & 

when  the  Commission  of  1891  first  came  to  the  conclusion  that  underground 

rapid  transit  was  the  only  cure  for  the  ills  that  traveling  New  Yorkers  were 

heirs  to.    In  those  days  the  number  of  persons  who  believed  in  an  underground 

construction  was  most  limited  ;   indeed,  it  might  have  been  comprised  in  a  list 

made  up  of  the  Commissioners  themselves,  their  engineers  and  assistants,  and  a 

few  who  had  given  the  matter  some  study.    Even  among  those  who  in  the  few 

subserpient  years  came  to  believe  that  such  a  plan  was  feasible  and  desirable, 

there  were  few  sanguine  enough  to  expect  its  construction  ;  and  to  come  down  to 

1900,  even  after  the  contract  was  signed,  many  could  be  found  who  said  they 

did  not  ex])cct  to  live  to  ride  on  such  a  road. 

MANHATTAN-  "X"  sooner  had  the  first  great  work  beeii  well  started  than  the  Board  con- 

BROOKLYN  h(ientl\-  laid  out  a  second  one  to  bind  together  with  Manhattan,  bv  a  subway 

EXTENSION  ■       ,        ,       ,     ^,  ,  .         ,  ,      r  -n       ,  ,  '        ,  •  ,  , 

and  tunnel  under  the  J'.ast  River,  the  great  sister  borough  of  Brooklyn,  which  by 

consolidation,  had  become  a  part  of  the  greater  city,  and  over  w  hich  the  ])Owers  of 
the  Board  had  been  extended  by  legislative  enactment.  So  thoroughly  had  the 
value  of  the  undergTOund  idea  been  demonstrated,  even  at  this  time,  in  January, 
1902,  that  a  contract  was  secured  by  the  Board  for  the  city  upon  surprisingly 
favorable  terms,  and  the  Rapid  Transit  Subway  Construction  Company  con- 
tracted to  build  the  new  line  for  $3,000,000,  although  its  total  cost  will  undoubt- 
edly reach  $10,000,000.    *    *  * 

"So  the  great  work  was  commenced,  and  so  it  has  gone  on.  That  it  has 
been  successful  beyond  the  fondest  anticipation  of  its  early  advocates  is  cause 
for  universal  rejoicing.  But,  in  the  midst  of  that  rejoicing,  let  us  not  forget 
the  men  who  fought  the  battle  and  won  the  victory.  Let  us  remember  McDonald 
the  contractor,  and  Belmont  the  capitalist,  and  William  Barclay  Parsons  the 
engineer,  and  above  all  and  beyond  all  let  us  remember  Alexander  E.  Orr,  the 
president  of  the  Rapid  Transit  Commission." 

MR.         John  B.  IMcDonald  spoke  in  part  as  follows: 
McDonald 

*  *  "The  discussion  and  final  building  of  the  subway  has  been  coinci- 
dent with  an  evolution  in  public  affairs  in  New  York  as  marked  as  this  great 
work.    The  city  has  grown  from  a  population  of  1,500,000  to  3,500,000,  the 

170 


oi'il\'i\h;  run  subway 


buildings  from  six  to  thirty  stories,  and  c(>mmerciall\  tlic  City  of  New  York 
now  stands  in  tlic  front  rani<  in  the  world. 

"When  tlie  final  work  of  preparation  had  hein  concluded  and  the  Rapid 
Transit  Coiuniission  had  ft)rnudaLed  their  specifications,  prepared  their  plans, 
and  advertised  for  proposals,  niy  work  began.  It  would  be  rank  conceit  to  say 
that  I  did  not  approach  this  great  undertaking  with  many  misgivings  as  to  my 
ability  to  accomplish  the  task;  but  I  believed  it  practicable,  necessary  to  the 
citv,  and,  alter  careful  study,  determined  to  become  a  bidder  for  the  work.  After 
fair  competition  the  contract  was  awarded  to  me. 

"The  work  of  organizing  and  giving  a  bond  for  the  faithful  performance  of 
my  contract  finally  resulted  in  bringing  to  my  aid  the  distinguished  financier, 
Mr.  August  Belmont,  and  his  associates,  and  the  organization  of  the  Rapid 
Transit  Subway  Construction  Company,  whose  generous  support  and  co-opera- 
tion I  have  had  in  carrying  out  this  important  work. 

"In  the  sub-division  of  the  v.ork,  there  were  brought  to  my  aid  a's  sub- 
contractors, men  of  means,  ability,  and  experience  not  surpassed.  What  greater 
compliment  can  I  pay  them  than  to  say:  'Behold  their  work'?"    *    *  * 

August  Belmont  said  that  in  an  undertaking  of  this  character  there  "is  MR.  BELMONT 
enough  credit    *    *    *    to  go  round."    After  praising  the  courage,  patience, 
industry  and  intelligence  of  those  who  had  unitedly  carried  the  plans  to  com- 
pletion, he  said  : 

"Attempts  to  install  an  underground  system  of  railroads  in  the  City  of  New 
York  began  man}-  years  ago.  There  had  been  some  legislation  and  even  some 
work  prosecuted  under  such  legislation,  but  the  legislation  and  the  work  alike 
were  inoperative.  Until  the  present  project  was  conceived,  no  real  progress 
was  made.  Although  much  time  and  thought  had  been  wasted  upon  these  previ- 
ous attempts,  the  resulting  failures  did  not,  as  is  frecjuently  true  of  failure,  fur- 
nish any  suggestions  for  the  guidance  of  those  entering  upon  what,  to  all  intents 
and  purposes,  was  a  wholly  new  undertaking. 

"Almost  insurmountable  difficulties  stood  in  the  path  of  the  enterprise.    The  DIFFICULTIES 

OF 

questionable  right  of  the  city  to  incur  the  obligations  necessary  to  be  assumed  qqnstruc- 
upon  its  part ;  the  uncertainty  as  to  the  legal  rights  of  abutting  owners ;   the  TION 
difficulties   of  carrying  the   subway  through   soil   occupied   by  innumerable 
obstructions  of  pipes  and  wires ;  the  fact  that  the  work  had  to  be  prosecuted 
without  interference  with  the  operation  of  surface  transportation  lines  and  gen- 


171 


K.ll'ID  TR.lSSIl 


cral  surface  traffic,  wliich  rc([ui:\'(l  the  uniiiti.  rnijil'/d  um,-  nt  tin-  llion  >u,L;!itares 
unde'r  wliich  tlu'  si;l)\va\-  was  to  i)c  constructed— all  ciinihiiicd  to  ,L;ivc  pause 
even  to  the  most  ])ronounc<.'d  ciillui^ia>ni. 
FINANCIAL  "Xor  did  the  s(jlicitude  as  to  success  end  witii  the  decision  to  ])roceed.  At 

all  points  in  tlu'  progress  of  the  work  great  care  was  at  all  times  recpiisite  lest  by 
unwise  counsel  and  decisions,  either  in  the  physical  or  financial  ])rosecution  of 
the  work,  there  might  result  a  collapse  which  would  defer  indet'initeh.  the  C(jm- 
])leti()n  of  a  work  so  essential  to  the  municipal  well-hemg  of  this  niet''o])olis. 
whose  true  development  was  liemmed  in  hv  the  ri\ers  at  its  very  threshold. 

"It  was  only  by  exhaustive  preparation  in  almost  infinite  detail.  ,i)oth  in  the 
engineering  and  in  the  transportation  and  in  the  financial  departments,  that  it 
lias  been  ])ossible  for  this  enterprise  to  proceed  to  a  successful  termination 
without  serious  interruption  or  embarra.ssment  and  with  credit  to  all  iden.- 
tified  with  it. 

NEW  AND  "If  an\-  (.'sijecial  credit  is  chu'  to  my  associates  and  myself,  it  is  that  the 

UNTRIED  financial  end  committed  to  our  care  recinired  the  exercise  of  a  kind  of  courage 
VENTURE  .  .  .  .  ' 

n(H  lrc(]uently  demanded  for  an  investment.     It  was  a  new  and  untrieil  venture. 

Xo  one  had  yet  Ix'cn  willing  to  assume  the  risk  in  order  to  enjoy  tiie  possii)le 

resulting  benefits  and  profits.    The  dang'crs  attending  its  undertaking  were  clear 

and  unmistakable:    nor  was  tlie  outcome  guaranteed  In'  any  experience  upon 

which  it  was  jxissible  to  rely.    It  was  essential  Ijefore  a  decision  to  go  forward 

could  lie  reached,  to  eliminate,  as  far  as  possible,  all  ap])arent  elements  of  pn^b- 

able  failr.re. 

"With  all  this  1  am  entitled  to  add,  1  think,  and  I  add  it  with  no  inconsidi  r- 
ab!e  ])ride,  the  initiation  and  ])rosecution  of  the  work  have  not  inA'olved  any 
excessive  capitalization.  The  capital  represented  by  the  i)ar  of  the  stock  issued, 
together  with  the  obHgations  issued  by  the  city,  represents  substantially  the 
cost  of  the  investment  for  construction,  equipment,  and  installation  of  the  sub- 
way and  the  railwaw 

OBJECT         'Tt  is  my  judgment,  too.  that  the  claim  is  not  extravagant  that  the  plan  and 
LtSSON  ^^^^^  execution  of  this  work  have  set  an  example  which  ma}-  fitlv  serve  as  an 
object  lesson  and  a  standard  for  similar  quasi-municipal  projects. 

"In  this  case  the  City  of  Xe\v  York  was,  by  appropriate  legislation,  author- 
\7,ed  to  extend  its  credit  by  the  issue  of  municipal  securities,  for  the  building  of 
the  subway,  but  that  was  the  limit  of  its  participation.  Even  this  risk  was 
reduced  to  a  minimum,  because  municipal  securities  were  to  be  issued  and  the 


172 


OPENING  Till-.  SUBWAY 

proceeds   devoled   to   the   payment   for   the   suhway   only   as    results,  ri.i;idly 

required        the  eontraets,  were  fortheomiiii;-  from  the  e<>ntraetor. 

"'i'iie  eit\-  liad,  htfore  entei'in^-  uimn  thr  undiTlakiiiL;,  a  siihslaiitial  i^uar-  GUARANTEES 

BY 

antee  of  perforniauee  hy  the  contractor.     Added  to  tins  ])r(jteetion  there  was  qontracTOR 

demanded  a  nnich  more  substantial  guarantee,  not  only  that  tin-  interest  upon 

tliese  securities  to  he  issued  hy  the  cit\    would  he  met,  hut  tiiat,  through  the 

accunnilation  o{  a  sinking'  fund  to  hr  jirovided  h\  the  private  interests,  the  total 

numicii)al  capital  invested  would  he  ultimatt'ly  repaid.     In  the  end.  the  suhway. 

constructed   at   the   expense   of   the   cit}'.   will   l)e   deli\ered   to   it   free  from 

obligation. 

"At  a  time  when  tlu'rc  are  so  many  ill-(Hgested  and  ill-considered  ])lans 
vuider  discussion,  having  for  their  object  not  only  nnniicipal  ownership,  but 
municipal  operation  of  transportation  lines,  the  State  of  New  York  has  reached 
the  true  solution  of  this  problem — that  municipal  participation  is  justified  to  the 
extent  of  furnishing  credit  for  the  construction  of  such  a  work,  but  sh.ould  stop 
short  of  the  operation  of  the  propertv  when  constructed.  To  private  interests 
should  be  committed  the  risks  and  the  burden  as  well  as  the  profit  of  construct- 
ing, equipping,  and  operating  the  road,  the  latter  not  being  within  the  govern- 
mental functions  or  other  legitimate  province  of  municipalities. 

"I  think  I  am  entitled  to  take  you  frankly  into  my  confidence  and  say  that 
nothing  in  my  career  has  given  me  greater  pause  than  the  (juestion  as  to  whether  I 
should  permit  my  firm  to  assume  financial  leadership  in  this  undertaking-.  It 
was  not  alone  on  account  of  the  large  sums  of  money  it  was  necessary  for  me 
personally  to  risk  in  the  new  venture.  Comparatively,  that  was  not  of  first  impor- 
tance, for  it  was  essential  in  a  work  as  vast  as  this  to  secure  extensive  co-opera- 
tion on  the  part  of  other  financial  interests,  entitled  to  look  to  me  in  large  degree 
for  its  success,  which  no  ])reliminary  investigation,  however  comprehensive  and 
intricate,  could  assure  with  absolute  certainty. 

"My  associates  and  myself,  however,  had  complete  confidence  in  th.e  exhau'^-  PRELIMINARY 

tive  preliminary  investigation,  conducted  at  great  length  and  with  ereat  care  'NVESTlGA- 

'  ^  TION 

and  having  assured  ourselves  that  the  work  could  be  completed  within  the  esti- 
mates, we  were  willing  without  hesitation  to  assume  the  further  risk,  sup- 
posed by  many  at  the  time  to  be  the  main  risk,  that  the  growth  of  the  City  of 
New  York  would  be  sufficient  to  justify  the  providing  of  these  new  facilities 
for  transportation. 

"Xow  that  the  work  has  been  completed  and  the  subway,  or,  rather,  this 


173 


RAPID  TRANSIT 


splendid  arcade,  is  formally  opened,  although  not  a  passenger  for  hire  has  yet 
been  carried  upon  its  tracks,  being  entirely  assured  of  the  success  of  this  enter- 
prise, we  have  in  contemplation  plans  for  still  further  adding-  to  the  rapid  transit 
facilities  of  the  system  of  elevated  and  subway  lines  now  united. 

"This  great  metropolis  has  now  rid  itself  of  the  bonds  that  heretofore  hav^e 
limited  and  impeded  its  growth,  and  has  included  within  itself,  in  all  but  legal 
description,  a  vast  adjacent  territory." 

SUBWAY  After  benediction  b\-   Archbishop  Farlev  th.e   Alavor  said:    "Now  I,  as 

DECLARED  .  '  '  '  „ 

OPEN   Mayor,  in  the  name  of  the  people,  declare  the  subway  open. 

IN'Ir.  Belmont  hancknl  the  Mayor  a  mahogany  case,  saying:  "T  give  you 
this  controller,  Mr.  Mayor,  with  the  request  that  you  put  in  operation  this  great 
road,  and  start  it  on  his  course  of  success,  and,  I  hope,  of  safety." 

The  first  train  started  from  the  City  Hall  station  at  2 :34  P.  M. 


iStH   street   station  N.   Y.  SUBWAY. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 


FUTURE  RAPID  TRANSIT  IN  NEW  YORK. 


Duriu!.;  the  past  five  years,  or  since  the  completion  of  the  plans  for  the  pres- 
ent subway,  a  large  part  of  the  time  of  the  L'onnuission  has  been  taken  up  with 
the  consideration  of  rapid  transit  schemes  for  the  future.  The  work  already 
accomplished  was  only  looked  upon  as  the  beginning  of  a  system  of  transpor- 
tation that  will  ultimately  embrace  every  portion  of  the  city  of  Greater  New 
York. 

The  result  has  been  the  selection  of  new  routes  that  extend  to  all  parts  of  NEW  ROUTES 
the  city.  The  choice  involved  long  and  painstaking  study.  Natural  advantages 
and  the  natural  trend  of  population  must  be  weighed.  The  relation  of  one  sec- 
tion to  another,  and  with  Manhattan  as  a  center,  must  be  kept  in  mind.  The 
lines  must  be  so  selected  as  to  permit  of  expansion  in  the  future  without  dis- 
turbing the  efificiency  and  symmetry  of  the  system  as  a  whole. 

In  the  spring  of  1902  Mr.  (Jrr,  the  president  of  the  Board,  requested  the 
chief  engineer  to  prepare  a  comprehensive  plan  of  rapid  transit  for  the  whole 
city.    In  giving  the  instruction  he  said : 

"The  public  has  come  to  recognize  fully  the  wisdom  of  development  of  the 
rapid  transit  facilities  of  Greater  New  Y'ork  and  of  the  use  of  its  street  prop- 
erty for  rapid  transit  purposes  upon  a  general  and  far-seeing  plan.  Rapid  tran- 
sit franchises,  it  is  now  believed,  ought  to  be  granted  with  reference  to  a  sys- 
tematic treatment  of  the  subject  under  the  guidance  or  initiatory  control  of  a 
single  body  like  this  Board,  with  a  tenure  sufficiently  long  to  assure  not  only 
the  adoption  of  a  comprehensive  programme,  but  also,  at  least  in  part,  its  execu- 
tion. This  idea  was  embodied  in  the  present  rapid  transit  act,  providing,  as  it 
did,  not  bnly  for  municipal  construction  of  new  rapid  transit  railroads,  but  also 
for  the  grant  of  rapid  transit  franchises  to  companies  operating  existing 
lines.    *    *  * 

'Tt  is,  therefore,  clear  that  the  public  now  has  a  right  to  expect  from  this  COMPLETE 
Board  the  preparation  of  a  general  and  far-reaching  system  of  rapid  transit  cov-  SCHEME 


175 


R.ll'll)  Tk.lXSIT 


(.■ring-  ihc  wliolc  cily  of  Xcw  N  (.rk  in  all  ils  live  boroughs.  Jl  was  in  anticipa- 
tion of  that  work  that  the  Hoard  in  January  last  asked  the  Mayor  and  Conip- 
trolUT  for  carl\  infonuation  as  to  the  extent  to  which  the  (U'bt  linnt  and  other 
necessities  of  the  city  would  permit  rapid  transit  extension  in  addition  to  the 
Ma.nhattan-1  !ronx  and  J  Irookh  n-Manhattan  roads.  When  that  information 
shall  be  received  the  Hoard  will  be  better  able  to  decide  where  the  next  rapid 
transit  expen.diture  shall  be  placed. 

RESULTS  "'J  he  far-reaching  plan  J  have  suggested  coulcl  not,  of  course,  be  carried 

EXPECTED        ,    ,  "  1  .  1         "  '•    I       .   r  u   .   -f  i 

out  at  once,  or,  jjcrhaps,  completel\  carried  out  tor  many  years.    Jnit  it  such  a 

j)lan  be  now  wisel_\-  prep<ared,  and  the  streets  of  New  N'ork  l)e  dedicated  to  tunnel 
railroad  purj)()ses  with  a  pro])er  regard  to  the  long  and,  no  doubt,  sjjlendid 
future  of  the  city,  two  things  niav  be  reasonably  ex])ected :  F'irst,  that  rapid 
transit  construction  will  procet-tl  upon  the  lines  so  laid  dour,  as  rajiidh  as  the 
means  of  the  citv  and  the  amount  ol  private  capital  ready  lor  rapid  transit  invest- 
ment will  permit  ;  and,  second,  that  relatively  unimportant  franchises  will  not  be 
granted  in  such  way,  or  special  routes  be  so  devised,  as  to  prevent  or  obstruct  a 
permanent  and  sufficient  ])rogrammc. 

''It  is  my  conclusion  from  all  this  that,  in  laying  out  the  East  Side  line  you 
should  studv  the  whole  rapid  transit  siturition  of  all  five  boroughs,  and  that 
yom-  report  should  aid  the  Board  to  prepare  and  submit  to  the  local  authorities 
the  comprehensive  plan  for  the  entire  city  that  I  have  suggested,  the  same  to  be 
carried  out  in  sections  or  instalments,  as  financial  conditions  shall  from  time  to 
time  permit." 

In  February  and  March  of  the  following  year  the  chief  engineer  reported  on 
comprehensive  plans  for  rapid  transit  for  th.e  boroughs  of  Manhattan,  the  Bronx, 
Brooklyn  and  Queens.    From  these  reports  the  following  passages  are  taken  : 

INCREASE  OF         "Tremendous  increase  in  passenger  travel  on  all  lines  during  the  past  year 

PASSENGER  indicates  that  when  the  present  subwav  svstem,  now  under  construction 

TRAVEL    .        •  / 

from  Brooklyn  to  the  Bronx,  is  completed,  it  will  almost  be  immediately  con- 
gested, so  that  no  great  amount  of  permanent  relief  can  be  counted  on.  In 
order  to  meet  the  growing  and  imperative  demands  for  increased  facilities,  aris- 
ing from  the  natural  growth  of  our  city,  it  is  evident  that  new  lines  should  be 
laid  down  now  and  put  under  construction  as  soon  as  possible,  and  that  steps 
sh<mld  be  taken  to  improve  the  existing  facilities  so  as  to  permit  them  to  carry 


176 


rrn  uh:  r.ii'/i)  rh'.ixsir  i.\  njsii'  voi^k 


the   iiHTi.a>c(l   l)ur(l(,ii   iliiriiii^    llic   liiin'   wlini    the    new    liiu>   arc   Ijciii^'  cow- 
slnicti'd." 

Tlu'  rc])orl  ri'C(niniu'ii(k'il  tliat  llu'  |)rv.'scnt  suhuay  1k'  cxlcnded  south  from  ROUTES  REC- 
I"ort\ -srcoiul  stiwl  alon;^-  the  .^crn'ra'.  HiU'  of  J Sroadwa}-,  or  jjaraUi'l  thereto  on  OMMENDED 
the  wcnI  :  h\  e\len<hn^-  it  nortli  I'mni  h'orty-sccond  street,  at  I'ark  avenue, 

aloni;-  lx'xin;;t()n  a\enue  to  <  )ne-liunih-ed-and-forty-ninth  street.  Jt  was  also 
])ro])oscd  that  hraiiches  should  he  constructed  from  Uroadway  to  the  Pennsyl- 
vania Railroad  station  at  Seventh  avenui' ;  aloni;'  (  ine-hundred-and-tenth  street  to 
I  enox  avenue;  from  West  h'arnis  in  the  liron.x  to  W'akeheld  :  and  along  the 
Southern  Jjoulevard  and  (  )ne-hundred-an(l-eightieth  stri'ct.  A  coiniection  between 
the  Bronx  Park  line  and  the  Manhattan  elevated  was  recommended  from  Pirook 
avenue  along  \\  estchester  avemie  to  Third  avenui'. 

It  was  pro])osed  to  increase  the  number  of  tracks  on  the  Second  and  Third 
avenue  elevated  roads ;  to  extend  the  Sixth  avenue  road  along  Christopher 
street  to  Greenwich  street:  to  add  another  track  to  the  Ninth  avenue  road,  and  to 
comiect  the  elevated  system  with  a  subway  to  be  built  along  Tenth  avenue  to  a 
connection  v\  ith  the  present  suhwav  at  Seventy-second  street;  and  to  arrange 
connection  with  the  railroads  terminating  at  the  Grand  Central  Station. 

It  was  suggested  to  provide  an  extension  of  the  New  York  Central  tracks 
south  from  Fifty-ninth  street  and  Eleventh  avenue  by  an  elevated  structure 
along  their  present  right  of  way  or  possibly  along  West  street  to  the  Battery. 
T(j  construct  a  branch  of  the  Second  a\'enue  elevated  along  Sixty-fourth  street 
and  over  the  Pilackwell's  Island  Bridge,  with  provision  for  future  extension  of 
the  line. 

In  lirooklyn  it  was  proposed  to  buiid  a  subway  under  Nassau  and  Orange  BROOKLYN 
streets  and  the  PLast  River  to  Maiden  Lane  in  Manhattan ;  thence  along  William, 
Center,  and  ( irand  streets  to  the  end  of  the  ^^'illiamsburg  Bridge.    This  was 
intended  to  provide  a  loop  for  the  elevated  roads  of  lirooklyn  by  way  of  the 
Williamsburgh  Bridge  and  this  second  tunnel. 

The  elevated  trains  were  to  be  removed  entirely  irom  the  Brooklvn  I)ritlge, 
and  the  trolley  cars  transferred  from  the  roadway  to  the  original  bridge  tracks, 
thereby  restoring  the  roadways  to  the  exclusive  use  of  vehicles.  To  connect  the 
Second  avenue  elevated  with  the  elevated  structure  of  the  Williamsburgh  Bridge. 
To  build  an  extension  of  the  present  subway  from  Pdatbush  and  Atlantic 
avenues  to  Prospect  Park  and  Plaza,  and  ultimately  further.  Also  another 
extension  from  the  same  point  along  Fourth  avenue  to  Fort  Hamilton.    A  tun- 


RAPJD  TRANSIT 


nel  from  Atlantic  avenue  to  Whitehall  street  in  Manhattan.  Also  extension  of 
the  Brooklyn  elevated  system  in  various  directions. 

The  report  of  Mr.  Parsons  inade  no  provision  to  connect  the  Borough  of 
Richmond  with  Manliattan  ;  the  reason  for  this  was  that  the  great  expense 
involved  vvas  entirely  out  of  ])roportion  to  the  population  to  be  served. 

The  plans,  as  finally  decided  upon  by  the  Rapid  Transit  Commission  and 
transmitted  for  approval  to  the  Board  of  Aldermen,  until  that  Hoard  was  super- 
seded by  the  Board  of  Estimate  and  Apportionment,  were  as  follows: 

THIRD  AVENUE  ROUTE. 

This  route  begins  in  the  Bronx  near  Lincoln  avenue  and  the  Southern 
Boulevard.  A  double  track  line  running  from  there  under  the  East  River 
reaches  Third  avenue  at  One-hundred-and-twenty-eighth  street.  From  that 
point  it  runs  as  a  four-track  road  southerly  under  Third  avenue  and  the 
Bowery  to  Chatham  S([uare.  At  Chatham  Square  the  narnnvness  of  the  streets 
compels  a  division  of  tracks.  Two  tracks  will  run  southerly  through  the  New 
Bowery  and  Pearl  street  to  i>road  street,  and  thence  under  South  street  to  the 
Battery.  Two  tracks,  diverging  at  Chatham  square,  will  pass  down  Park  Row, 
Nassau  and  Broad  streets,  joining  the  other  tracks  in  Broad  street  near  Pearl. 
Two  single-track  spurs  are  provided  to  connect  the  main  line,  through  Thirty- 
fifth  and  Thirty-sixth  streets,  with  the  Seventh  or  Eighth  avenue  subway 
described  below.  These  spurs,  between  Lexington  and  Fifth  avenues,  will  be 
parallel  to  the  other  tracks  forming  a  part  of  the  Lexington  avenue  system ;  but 
they  will  be  for  the  most  part  at  different  levels. 

In  the  Bronx,  two  double-track  lines  will  diverge  from  the  point  of  beginning 
nientioned  above.  One  of  these  lines  will  run  northerly,  terminating  in  a  loop 
near  One-hundred-and-forty-second  street,  and  connecting  with  a  proposed  line  to 
run  under  One-hundred-and-thirty-eighth  street.  The  other  line  in  the  Bronx 
will  run  easterly  under  the  Southern  Boulevard  to  a  terminus  in  the  New  York. 
New  Haven  &  Hartford  Railroad  yards. 

LEXINGTON  AVENUE  ROUTE. 

This  route  begins  near  Forty-third  street  and  Lexington  avenue,  with  a 
short  connection  westerly  to  the  existing  subway  in  Park  avenue.  From  Forty- 
third  street,  the  line  will  run  northerly  under  Lexington  avenue  as  a  four-track 


178 


in'ICh'Ii  R.il'll)    IR.IXSIT  IN  XliW  YORK 


road  to  about  One-huiulrcd-and-twenlN -niiuli  street,  where  it  w  ill  divide  and 
form  two  double-track  extensions. 

(Jne  of  the  extensions  will  pass  under  the  I  larlem  Uiwi'  and  alim^  Third 
and  Morris  avenues  in  the  llronx  to  (  )ne-hundred-and- fori \ -ninth  street,  where  it 
will  connect  with  the  existing  subwa)'  near  L'ortlandt  avenue,  hroni  about  (  )ne- 
hundred-and-thirty-scventh  to  Onc-hundred-and-forty-second  streets,  this  line 
will  oeeu])y  the  same  streets  as  the  Third  avenue  line  above  described;  but  these 
streets — Third  and  Morris  avenues — are  wide  enough  to  contain  four  tracks  in 
two  separate  tunnels. 

The  second  extension  in  the  Bronx  will  diverge  with  two  tracks,  as  men- 
tioned above,  near  One-hundred-and-twenty-ninth  street  and  Lexington  avenue,  in 
Manhattan.  It  will  cross  from  there  under  the  Harlem  River  to  Park  avenue, 
and  continue  nortlierly  under  Park  avenue  to  One-hundred-and-fifty-sixth  street, 
from  which  point  a  further  extension  may  be  made  northerly  if  required.  At 
One-hundred-and-forty-ninth  street  and  Park  avenue  another  divergence  is  pro- 
posed, carrying  two  tracks  under  the  New  York  Central  yards,  with  a  loop  in 
the  yards,  and  then  parallel  with  the  Harlem  River  along  One-hundred-and- 
tifty-third  street  and  under  Cromwell  Creek  into  Sedgwick  avenue  to  about  One- 
hiindred-and-sixty-fourth  street.  This  route  has  a  triple  branching  in  the 
Bronx. 

From  Forty-third  street  and  Lexington  avenue  southerly,  there  will  be  four 
tracks  as  far  as  Thirty-sixth  street.  The  two  south-bound  tracks  will  there  turn 
west  through  Thirty-sixth  street  to  Fifth  avenue  and  then  south.  The  two  north- 
bound tracks  will  continue  down  Lexington  avenue  to  Thirty-fifth  street,  and 
rejoin  the  other  tracks  in  Fifth  avenue.  The  four  tracks  will  then  continue 
sotitherly  along  Fifth  avenue  to  Madison  Square.  There  the)-  will  turn  into 
Broadway  and  run  south,  passing  under  Union  Square,  to  the  City  Hall  Park. 
At  that  point  a  single-track  loop  will  allow  part  of  the  trains  to  be  turned  back, 
while  two  tracks  will  continue  down  to  A'esey  street,  and  then  through  Yesey 
and  Church  streets  to  the  Battery. 

SEVENTH  AND  EIGHTH  AVENUE  ROUTE. 

Beginning  at  the  southerly  end  of  this  route,  in  the  Battery  Park,  the  line 
will  run  northerly  under  Greenwich  street  and  West  Broadway  to  Chambers 
street.  From  this  point  northerly,  two  alternate  routes  are  planned.  The  most 
direct  runs  under  Hudson  street  and  Eighth  avenue  to  about  One-hundred-and- 


179 


R.iril)  IRASSIT 


lil't\ -luurlh  slrc-c'l,  wlicrc  a  imrllicrK  cxlciisiun  can  Iniill  iicrealter.  'l"lu'  other 
liiK-  continues  northerly  Ironi  t'hanihers  street  under  West  Jlroadway  to  Wash- 
ington Scjuare,  where  tlie  \\\\v  aj^ain  (hvers^es  into  two  aheruati\e  routes.  (  )ne  of 
these  runs  under  W  asliin<4t<m  Siiuare.  private  property,  and  (jreenwich  avenue  to 
Sevent'n  avenue,  and  then  northerly  under  Seventh  avenue  to  a  connection  with 
the  present  subway  under  Times  S(|uare.  The  other  alternative  rotlte  runs  under 
Washington  Scpiare  and  hifth  avenue  tn  'i'wenty-third  street,  and  then  under 
r>  road  way  to  'J'wenty-fi  fth  street,  where  it  diverges  a^^ain — two  tracks  runniuj^' 
westerly  under  Twenty-Hfth  street  to  join  the  Seventh  avenue  subway,  and  so 
northerlv  to  Times  Scjuare — and  the  main  line  running-  straight  under  llroad- 
\va\  to  join  the  present  subwa\  near  the  same  place. 

A  separate  section  ol  this  projjosed  route  is  designed  t<j  run  northerh  from 
^'cventh  ax  euue  and  h'orty-third  street  to  Central  I 'ark,  curv  ing  mider  ihe 
park  .so  as  to  connect  with  the  lini-  tnider  I'.ighth  avenue  at  about  l''ift\ -second 
street. 

Jn  regard  to  the  above  routes  the  lUxird  saul : 

■■'J'lie  three  routes  referred  to  in  this  comnuuiicatitju  are  all  designed  to  l)e 
subslantiall)-  of  th.e  same  type  as  that  which  the  present  subway  has  made  famil- 
iar, l-'rom  end  to  end  tliesc  Hues  will  be  below  the  surface.  Xot  a  foot  of  ele- 
vated structure  is  here  included. 

"It  has  been  the  elifort  of  this  Hoard  to  arrange  the  routes  now  submitted 
for  the  consideration  of  your  honorable  bodv,  so  that  each  of  them  should  first  be 
capable  of  separate  operation:  second,  be  capable  of  advantageous  operation  in 
connection  with  soine  existing  means  of  ])assenger  transportation  within  the  city; 
third,  be  practicable  to  build  at  once,  both  from  the  engineering,  transportation, 
and  financial  standjioiius.  In  this  way  the  largest  measure  of  effective  rapid  tran- 
sit will  be  secured,  whili-  at  the  same  tiriie  an  o])portunity  is  afforded  for  active 
ompetition  among  strong  rival  bidders.'" 

THIRTY- FOURTH  STREET  ROUTE. 

This  route  runs  through  Thirty-fcnirth  street,  in  ^lanhattan,  from  the  East  to 
the  Hudson  rivers,  ])assing  under  the  present  subway  in  Fourth  avenue  and  at  a 
sufficient  dejJth  under  the  several  north  and  south  avenues  to  permit  other  sub- 
wavs  to  be  constructed  over  it.    It  will  have  no  track  connections  with  any  rapid 

iRo 


II  Ki.  u-.ir/n  ik\i\sii  IX  x/iir  )'()I<k 


transit  liius  iii  .Manhattan,  hut  it  is  fxpiTtcd  that  joint  slalinns  uill  he  ijlaccd  at 
the  inlcTSfctii )ns  ul'  |)rincii)al  axcnucs  so  as  to  facihtatc  transfers  of  pas- 
seniors.  , 

A  sr])arat(.'  section  (Hvcrj^vs  fmni  tlic  main  slrni  of  tliis  route  hclwccn  Sec- 
ond and  Third  avenues  and  runs  on  a  descending'  grade  to  i)ass  under  tlie  JCast 
River  to  I.ong  Island  City.  The  terminus  in  Ouecns  will  be  in  Jackson  avenue 
near  Borden  avenue.  At  this  i)oint  the  warious  Irollex  lines  converge,  thus  mak- 
ing transfers  easy  to  and  from  the  proposed  suhwaw  A  jjhysical  connection 
can  also  Ijc  arranged,  if  found  to  he  desirable,  w  ith  the  sul)\va\-  uniting  the  W'il- 
liamshurgh  liridge  with  the  Blackwell's  Island  llridge. 

This  route  is  entirely  in  subway,  the  rails  averaging  al)out  40  feet  below 
the  surface. 

The  I'loard  said  in  regard  to  this  route  : 

"So  far  as  this  route  is  concerned,  its  advantages  a])pea;'  to  he  too  obvious  to 
cai!  for  argument.  It  will  reach  and  serve  such  important  points  in  Manhattan  as 
the  new  Pennsylvania  Railroad  station.  Herald  Scjuare  with  its  neighbormg 
shops  and  theatres,  the  Waldorf-Astoria  Hotel,  and  the  East  Thirty-fourth  street 
ferry.  In  Oueens  it  will  enable  passengers  by  any  of  the  steam  or  trolley  lines 
now  coming  to  the  ferry  to  get  quickly,  and  with  only  one  change,  to  Manhat- 
tan ;  and  it  will  carry  them  without  change  to  points  in  Manhattan  where  tliev 
can  transfer  to  any  of  the  north  and  south  railroads,  and  thus  reach  rapidlv  and 
conveniently  any  part  of  the  city." 

ROUTE  TO  VAN  CORDTLANDT  PARK. 

This  addition  consists  of  an  extension  running  along  ]>roadway  from  its 
intersection  with  Two-hundred-and-thirtieth  street  to  a  point  just  north  of  Two- 
hundred-and-forty-second  street,  opposite  Yan  Cortlandt  Park.  It  will  be  an 
elevated  structure  throughout.  The  portion  of  Broadway  in  question  is  at  pres- 
ent very  little  built  upon,  and  the  elevated  road  proposed  would  merelv  be  a  con- 
tinuation ot  the  one  that  already  exists  in  the  same  street. 

FIRST  AVENUE  ROUTE. 

This  route  begins  in  the  Bronx  at  the  intersection  of  One-hundred-and- 
thirty-eighth  street  and  Alexander  avenue.    At  or  near  this  point  connections 


t8t 


RAPID  TRANSIT 


can  readily  he  made  with  various  rapid  transit  routes  in  the  Bronx.  From  this 
point  the  line  runs  southerly  alon"-  Alexander  avenue,  or  just  west  of  it,  so  as  to 
avoid  the  Willis  avemie  bridge  approaches;  and  then  passinj^^  under  the  Harlem 
River  it  turns  int(j  First  avenue  near  ( )nt--hundred-an(I-t\venty-fourth  street. 
From  this  point  it  runs  southerly  under  First  avenue  to  First  street,  then  curves 
easterly  and  runs  under  Essex,  Rut<^ers  and  Madison  streets  to  the  New  Bowery. 
It  then  runs  southerly  under  the  New  Bowery  and  Pearl  street,  Ijv  the  side  of 
the  proposed  Third  avenue  line,  to  a  point  near  Dover  street.  J'roni  there  it 
curves  easterly  under  private  properly  tcj  Water  street,  and  runs  south  under 
Water  street  to  Pine  street.  It  then  passes  under  private  property  in  the  block 
bounded  by  Water,  Pine,  Wall  and  Pearl  streets,  and  then  runs  under  ]>eaver 
street,  Bowling-  Green,  and  Battery  place  to  Greenwich  street. 

I'^rom  the  northerly  end  of  the  line  at  One-hundred-and-thirty-eighth  street  a 
separate  section  is  added  which  runs  northerly  under  Alexander  avenue,  Mel- 
rose avenue,  Webster  avenue  and  Glarenujnt  Park,  with  a  loop  under  the  park. 
This  line  will  afford  a  very  direct  connection  between  the  more  thickly  settled 
parts  of  the  Bronx  and  the  lower  east  side  of  the  city. 

NINTH  AVENUE  ROUTE. 

This  route  is,  in  effect,  a  continuation  of  the  one  just  described.  It  begins  at 
the  southern  terminus  of  that  line  in  Battery  place,  and  thence  runs  under  Bat- 
tery place  and  under  West  street  to  Gansevoort  street,  where  it  curves  into  Ninth 
avenue  to  Morningside  Park,  and  thence  under  Manhattan  avenue,  St.  Nicholas 
avenue.  Kingsbridge  road.  Broadway  and  Sherman  avenue  to  Amsterdam 
avenue  at  about  Two-hundred-and-eleventh  street. 

Concerning  the  two  last  mentioned  routes  the  Board  said : 

"Together  with  the  Third  avenue,  Lexington  avenue,  and  Seventh  and 
Eighth  avenue  routes,  they  form  the  additional  north  and  south  lines  in  the 
Borough  of  Manhattan  which  this  Board  now  contemplates,  and  which  are  all 
that  it  believes  can  wisely  be  planned  for  the  present  time.  *  *  *  It  is  only 
necessary  to  add  that  the  routes  herewith  submitted  are  all  in  subway,  and  that,  if 
they  are  approved,  it  is  proposed  to  provide,  in  the  contracts  for  construction, 
such  modifications  and  improvements  as  the  valuable  experience  already  gained  in 
such  work  may  suggest." 


182 


RAPID  TRANSIT  MAP 

-OF-- 

GREATER  NEW  YORK 


Tliis  Map  fits  on  top  of  Center  One 
at  A-A 


EXPLANATION 
Present  Subways  in  I 
Projected  Sutjwaj  s  in  | 
Present  Elevated  Roads  in| 


fi  TURii  R.irin  TN.w'sir  in  njiiv  york 


JLROME  AVENUE  SUBWAY. 

This  route  consists  of  a  four-track  subway  running  through  Jerome  avenue 
from  about  One-hundrcd-and-sixty-fourth  street  near  its  southerly  end  to  the 
junction  with  Woodhiwn  Cemetery.  From  the  soutlierly  end  of  this  hue,  two 
connections  arc  provided  with  railways  in  Manhattan.  The  first  is  a  ;hree-tracl< 
connection  leacHng  to  the  bridge  over  the  I  larlem  belonging  to  the  rutnarn  Divi- 
sion of  the  New  York  Central  Railroad.  The  other  is  a  two-track  subway  pass- 
ing under  the  East  River  to  a  point  in  Eighth  avenue  near  One-hundred-and- 
fifty-fourth  street,  so  as  to  connect  with  a  subway  to  be  hereafter  constructed 
under  that  avenue.  A  third  spur  is  planned  to  connect  with  Onc-hundred-and- 
fifty-third  Street  near  Cromwell  avenue,  so  as  to  afford  a  means  of  junction  with 
the  proposed  Lexington  avenue  subway. 

JEROME  AVENUE  ELEVATED  ROAD. 

This  line  consists  of  a  three-track  elevated  structure  running  northerly  from 
Jerome  avenue  near  its  intersection  with  Clarke  place,  to  the  junction  of  Jerome 
avenue  with  W'oodlawn  road.  It  is  provided  that  connections  may  be  made  with 
the  Jerome  avenue  subway  and  the  Gerard  avenue  subway. 

GERARD  AVENUE  SUBWAY. 

This  is  a  subway  beginning  at  One-hundred-and-thirty-eighth  street  and 
Third  avenue,  at  which  point  connections  can  be  made  with  several  other  lines 
planned  by  the  Board,  and  running  thence  west  through  One-hundred-and-thirty- 
eighth  street  and  Gerard  avenue  to  Jerome  avenue  near  its  intersection  with 
Clarke  place.  At  this  point  a  connection  can  be  made  either  with  the  Jerome 
avenue  subway  or  the  Jerome  avenue  elevated. 

WHITE  PLAINS  ROAD  ROUTE. 

This  route  is  practically  an  extension  of  the  present  rapid  transit  elevated 
viaduct.  It  is  to  begin  at  One-hundred-and-seventy-seventh  street  and  West 
Farms  road  near  Bronx  Park,  and  thence  a  three-track  elevated  structure  is 
planned  to  run  along  West  Farms  road,  Morris  Park  avenue,  and  White  Plains 
road,  to  the  former  village  of  Wakefield. 


183 


k'.irip  Tk'.ixsrr 


WESTCHESTER  AVENUE  ROUTE. 

This  route  begins  at  Third  avenue  and  <  )nc  hun(h-e(l-and-tliirty-ei,L;htli  street, 
at  wliicli  point  connections  may  he  made  cilhi-r  with  subways  coming  from  j\Ian- 
liattan  or  with  the  (ierartl  avenue  sui)way.  I'rom  this  jioinl  a  sul)wa\-  is  to  run 
east  under  ( )ne-hundred-and-tliirly-eiglith  street  to  the  Sdutht-rn  lloulevard.  At 
that  ])(iint  tlie  roail  is  jihinni'd  l<i  emerge  from  tlie  ground  and  continue  as  a  ihree- 
traci<  elevated  structure  on  the  Southern  ISoulexard  and  W'eslchesler  a\enue  to 
tlie  former  viHage  of  Westchester. 

The  following  remarks  by  the  Jioard  cover  the  five  last  menlioned  rontes : 

"'i'he  three  main  lines  which  these  routes  cover  are  Jerome  avenue.  W  hite 
riains  road,  and  Westchester  aveime.  These  three  divergent  lines  would  not 
alone  be  practicable  from  an  operating  or  rtnancial  ])oint  of  view.  They  are  <jf 
value  chiefly  as  extensions  of  routes  now  or  hereafter  to  be  built  in  the  i'.orough  of 
Manhattan.  With  the  e.\ce])tion  of  the  Wdiite  I'lain.s  road,  these  !ines  may 
lonn  an  extension  <if  two  or  more  systems,  and  it  is  beliewd  that  com])etilion 
between  bidders  would  exist  as  to  these  several  lines. 

"  idle  lloard  recommends  that  elevated  structures  be  authorized  along  part  of 
Jeionie  avenue  and  along  the  White  I'lains  road  and  Westchester  a>'enuc.  It 
has  done  so  with  hesitation,  but  it  is  satisfied  that  its  action  in  this  regard  is 
approved  by  a  large  majoritv  of  the  residents  of  the  llorough  of  the  llronx.  The 
construction  of  subways  in  the  Ih'onx.  f)wing  to  the  irregular  and  rock\'  char- 
acter of  the  soil,  would  be  extremely  expensive — much  more  so,  for  example, 
than  in  the  Borough  of  Brooklyn,  where  subway  construction  is  comparatively 
cheap.  It  is  thought,  therefore,  that  while  bids  for  elevated  structures  might  be 
oi)taiiied.  it  would  jirobably  prove  very  difficult  at  the  jjresent  time  and  [jrob- 
abh'  for  several  years  to  come,  to  obtain  bids  for  raj^id  transit  subwavs.  So 
far  as  the  White  Plains  road  is  concerned,  that  would  be  merely  an  exten- 
sion of  an  elevated  structure  already  existing.  And  so  far  as  the  W  estchester 
avenue  road  is  concerned,  it  may  be  said  that  this  road  will  be  in  appearance 
and  etTect  simplv  an  extension  of  the  rapid  transit  viaduct  alreadx'  existing  in 
otlier  adjacent  parts  of  both  the  Southern  Boulevard  and  Westchester  avenue." 

BROOKLYN  AND  MANHATTAN  LOOP  LINES. 

LOOP  LINES  The  loop  lines  consist  of  a  railroad  beginning  in  East  Xew  York  at  the 

eastern  extremity  of  Broadway,  and  running  through  Broadway  across  the  Wi!- 


184 


1-i'irk'i:  h'.  I  I'll)  iR'.ixsfr  /.V  xjiif  york 


liamshiiri^h   llridjm,'  I"  M.'inli.illaii  ;  ami  \\\v\\  runniiii^  MHitli  in   Maiiliallan  to  a 

srrirs  ot  tumu'ls  bet  u        llif  I '.ii  n  ikl\ ii  lliad^r  and  llu'  I'.alKry,  whicli  lead  Uic 

lint.'  hack  to  thr  Unioklvii  HnrdUL;!!  1  lall  I'ark:  and  fnmi  tlicrr  easterly  alony 

I  ,at'a\  elle  and  ( lales  avcnui's  hack  to  llniadw  ay.     In  addition,  a  line  rnnniiij^ 

north   and   sonth   lhronL;h    llcclford   awnuc    from   thi-   \\  illianishurs^h  r.rid,L^<; 

plaza  to  the  l^a.slcrn  l'ark\\a\  .serves  the  ])ur]iose  of  an  interior  loop. 

The  route  in  Manhattan   from  the   Willianishnri^h   I  Iridic  passes  undt-r- 

yronnd  in  Di-lancey  street  near  Norfolk:  and  then   runs  west  under  Delanccy 

street  to  the  l>ower\-,  and  under  the  pro])osed  I'xlension  of  I  )elancey  street  to  the 

corner  of  Center  and  (irand  streets.    ']"he  line  then  continues  southerly  lhrou<^h 

Center  and  Williams  streets. 

Provision  is  made  for  three  tunnels,  which  ma\   he  d(.-scrii)ed  as  the  Hid  THREE 

,  ,  EAST  RIVER 

Sill)  tunnel,  the  Maiden  Cane  tunnel,  and  the  Neekman  street  tunnel.  -t-itmmi-ic- 
'  TUNNELS 

'I'he  route  of  the  first  is  niuk  r  W  illiam  street.  Exchange  place,  and  Beaver 
street  in  ^lanhattan,  and  under  Montague  street  in  Brooklyn.  • 

The  second  begins  at  the  corner  of  William  and  Liberty  streets,  and  llien 
passes  under  Maiden  Lane  in  ALmhattan,  and  Pineapple  street  in  lirooklyn. 

The  third  passes  under  Beekman  street  in  ALanhattan.  and  Cranberry  street  in 
Brooklyn. 

As  stated,  all  three  tuniu'ls  come  together  at  Cit\-  1  lall  Park,  Brooklsn. 
From  there  a  route  runs  under  W  illoiighb\  street,  the  Mati)ush  avenue  exten- 
sion, Fulton  street,  and  Lafa\ette  avenue  to  its  intersection  with  Bedford  avenue. 
From  this  point  one  line  continues  by  Lafayette  to  Stuyvesant  avenue.  Another 
line  runs  through  Bedford  avenue  and  dates  to  l>road\vay. 

There  are  several  spurs  forming  a  part  of  this  route.  The  longest  begins  at 
Grand  and  Center  streets  in  Manhattan  and  runs  West  under  ( Irand  and  Des- 
brosses  streets  to  the  Desbrosses  street  ferry,  and  intersects  all  the  north  and 
south  lines  of  travel  in  ]\ranhattan.  Another  spur  forms  a  connection,  bv 
means  of  a  line  under  Canal  street,  with  the  Manhattan  end  of  the  Manhattan 
Bridge.  A  third  connects  with  the  City  Hall  loop  of  the  present  subwav  b\ 
means  of  a  line  under  Beekman  street.  In  P)rookl}  n.  connections  mav  be  made 
with  the  sul)way  now  Iniilding  in  the  neighbc^rhood  of  Borough  1  fall  I'ark  and  at 
the  corner  of  Lafayette  and  Flatbush  avenues. 

This  svstem  will  relieve  the  pressure  upon  the  Brof)klvn  Bridge,  as  well  as 
utilize  the  possibilities  of  the  Williamsburgh  Bridge.  It  will  bring  almost  all 
parts  of  the  Borough  of  ]Manhattan  south  of  Houston  street  within  easy  reach  of 


185 


RAPID  TRANSIT 


those  parts  of  Brooklyn  that  may  be  described  as  East  New  York,  WilHams- 
burgh,  the  Lafayette  avenue  district,  and  the  Bedford  avenue  district. 

FOURTH  AVENUE  ROUTE. 

Tliis  hue  extends  from  Fort  Ilaniihon  Ijy  Fourth  avenue  to  Flatbush  avenue, 
wliere  connections  may  be  made  with  tlie  subway  now  constructing-  and  with  tlie 
Prospect  Park  extension.  Connections  are  also  provided  for  the  Brooklyn  and 
Manhattan  loop  lines  above  described,  either  directly  by  a  line  under  Ashland 
place,  or  bv  a  line  curving  from  Fourth  avenue  and  running  under  Atlantic 
avenue  and  Court  street  to  the  Borough  Hall  Park. 

MANHATTAN  BRIDGE  ROUTE. 

This  route  is  designed  to  occupy  chiefly  the  Manhattan  Bridge  and  its 
approaches.  Provision  is  made  for  a  direct  connection  under  the  Flatbush  avenue 
extension  with  the  subway  now  being  constructed,  at  the  junction  of  Flatbush 
avenue  and  Fulton  street.  Provision  is  also  made  for  a  connection  with  the  loop 
line  running  easterly  under  h'ulton  street  and  Lafayette  avenue.  .As  stated 
above,  a  spur  in  Manhattan  will  run  from  the  proposed  loop  line  under  Center 
street  to  the  Manhattan  Bridge  terminus  in  that  borough. 

By  making  the  Manhattan  Bridge  an  independent  rapid  transit  route  the 
Board,  in  negotiating  a  contract  for  its  construction  and  operation,  will  be 
enabled  to  utilize  it  in  connection  either  with  the  subway  now  under  construc- 
tion or  with  the  Fourth  avenue  line,  or  with  the  Lafayette  avenue  line,  or  other 
lines,  as  may  prove  to  be  most  desirable  hereafter. 

EASTERN  PARKWAY  ROUTE. 

This  line  is  planned  to  extend  from  the  Prospect  Park  plaza  under  the 
Eastern  Parkway  to  East  New  York  avenue.  Near  that  point  a  loop  begins, 
running  out  from  Howard  avenue,  Hunterfly  road,  Blake  and  Georgia  avenues, 
and  returning  by  Pitkin  avenue.  A  spur  is  planned  to  run  along  Georgia 
avenue  to  the  intersection  of  East  New  York  avenue  and  Broadway,  where  the 
line  running  to  the  W'illiamsburgh  Bridge  will  begin.  An  extension  is  also  pro- 
vided to  run  from  the  Prospect  Park  plaza  along  Flatbush  avenue  to  Atlantic 
avenue,  there  connecting  with  the  route  to  Court  street  and  Borough  Hall  Park. 

i86 


FUTURE  R.ll'ID   IRAXSIT  IN  NEW  YORK 


The  Eastern  Parkway  route,  in  connection  with  the  Broadway  hne,  forms 
still  another  or  exterior  loop  in  Brooklyn,  reaching  a  rapidly  growing  section  of 
the  city. 

BROOKLYN,  MANHATTAN  AND  LONG  ISLAND  CITY  ROUTE. 

This  system  consists  essentially  of  two  lines:  One  running  from  the  Wil- 
liamsburgh  Bridge  plaza  to  the  Blackwell's  Island  Bridge  through  the  Boroughs  of 
Brooklyn  and  Queens ;  and  the  other  running  from  Williamsburgh  under  the 
East  River  to  Fourteenth  street  in  the  Borough  of  Manhattan. 

The  first  of  these  two  lines,  beginning  at  the  Williamsburgh  Bridge  plaza, 
runs  through  Driggs  and  Manhattan  avenues,  and  under  Newtown  creek ;  and 
then  under  Jackson  avenue  in  Long  Island  City. 

The  other  line  begins  at  the  corner  of  Lafayette  and  Stuyvesant  avenues, 
which  is  a  point  on  the  Lafayette  avenue  line  above  described.  From  there  it 
runs  through  Stuyvesant,  Bushwick,  and  Metropolitan  avenues  and  North  Sev- 
enth street  in  Greenpoint,  and  by  a  tunnel  under  the  East  River  to  the  foot  of 
Fourteenth  street  in  Manhattan.  Physical  connection  will  be  provided  at  the 
corner  of  Driggs  avenue  and  North  Seventh  street,  so  that  cars  may  be  run 
from  either  Long  Island  City  or  the  Williamsburgh  Bridge  plaza  direct  to 
Manhattan. 

The  route  also  includes  two  spurs ;  one  running  from  the  corner  of  Stuyve- 
sant and  Lafayette  avenues  under  Lafayette  avenue.  Stanhope  street,  and  Cypress 
avenue  to  Palmetto  street.  Another  from  the  junction  of  Metropolitan  avenue 
and  North  Seventh  street  along  LTnion  avenue  to  Broadway. 

FOURTEENTH  STREET,  UNIVERSITY  PLACE,  GREENWICH 
STREET,  ETC.  (MANHATTAN). 

This  route  is  intended  to  be  operated  in  connection  with  that  just  described. 
It  crosses  from  Greenpoint  to  the  foot  of  East  Fourteenth  street.  The  line  now 
proposed  runs  along  Fourteenth  street  as  far  as  Ninth  avenue.  Two  branches 
run  southerly.  One  runs  under  Ninth  avenue,  Greenwich  street,  and  Liberty 
street  to  connect  with  what  has  been  called  above  the  Maiden  Lane  tunnel.  The 
other  branch  from  Fourteenth  street  runs  through  University  place,  Wooster, 
and  Canal  streets  to  a  connection  at  Canal  and  Center  streets  with  the  Brooklyn 
and  Manhattan  loop  lines  above  described. 


187 


RAI'ID  TRANSIT 

I 

li  will  be  seen  that  these  two  routes  form  still  another  loop  (taken  in  con- 
nection with  the  Lafayette  avenue  line),  by  which  cars  could  be  run  in  either 
(lirection  between  the  llorous^hs  of  Jlrooklyn  and  Manhattan — not  only  reaching 
all  points  in  Manhattan  at  least  as  far  north  as  h'ourteenth  street,  but  also  inter- 
sectin<;-  everv  north  and  south  line  of  travel  in  that  l)i)rou,<;h. 


JAMAICA  ROUTE. 

This  line  is  planned  t(j  start  at  the  intersection  of  ]£ast  New  Wn'k  avenue 
and  i'.roadw.iy — which  is  the  beginning-  of  the  loop  first  mentioned  above — 
and  IS  to  run  out  under  Jamaica  avenue  to  Grand  street  in  the  former  village  of 
Jamaica.  When  built  it  will,  in  connection  with  the  Broadwa_\-  and  Delancey 
street  line,  afford  a  ver\  direct  means  of  communication  between  Jamaica  and 
the  lower  part  of  the  liorough  of  Manhattan,  l)y  means  of  either  the  Broad- 
\va_\'  or  the  I'^astern  l'ark\\a\  lines  in  Ilrooklx  n,  r.nd  will  also  enable  ])assengers  to 
reach  almost  any  ])arl  of  j'.rooklvn. 

Commenting  upon  tln'se  roiUes  the  Board  said: 

BROOKLYN  "The  geogra|)hical  conditions  of  Brooklyn  necessitate  a  different  solution  of 

REQUIRED  jj^ij^  ra])id  transit  i)roblem  from  that  which  has  been  attempted  in  Manhattan. 
DIFFERENT 

TREATMENT  fii^t*-'fd  of  a  series  of  independent  straight  lines  running  north  and  south.  Brook-. 

lyn  rapid  transit  railways  must  have  as  their  most  imi)ortant  fe<iture  a  series  of 
large  looj)s.  In  several  cases  like  the  h'ourth  avenue  line  to  h'ort  Hamilton .  the 
Flatbush  and  Ocean  avenue  line,  the  Jamaica  and  East  New  \'ork  line,  and  the 
line  coiniecting  the  W'illiamsburgh  and  lUackwell's  Island  bridges,  railways 
radiating  out  into  the  more  suburban  neighborhoods  are  desn-able  ;  but  the  con- 
trolling and  essential  feature  of  an\-  Brooklxn  system  must  inevitably  consist  of 
loop  lines  embracing  large  areas  in  iirooklyn  and  comparatively  small  areas  in 
Manhattan.  In  ]Manhattan  these  loops  should  be  so  far  extended  as  to  coimcct 
with  as  many  as  possible  of  the  main  north  and  south  lines  of  travel. 

BRIDGES  TO         "The  bridges  across  the  East  River  should  be  utilized  for  rapid  transit  pur- 
BE  USED  poses.    For  this  purpose  the  consent  of  the  Department  of  Bridges  is  essential. 

The  general  plans  now  transmitted  provide  that  all  work  of  construction  upon 
either  the  Williamsburgh  Bridge  or  the  Manhattan  Bridge  must  be  done  in 
accordance  with  the  requirements  of  the  Commissioner  of  Bridges. 

"In  addition,  the  plans  hereto  annexed  provide  for  four  tunnels  under  the 
East  River,  with  a  total  capacity  of  ten  tracks.    There  are,  besides  these,  the 


I'C'llRI:   h'.ll'IJ)  IRAXSIT 


proposed  TliirtN -I'oiirtii  strrcl  two-track  tuiiiK-1.  and  the  two-track  tunnels  already 
contracted  for  and  in  coutm'  of  construction.  If  all  these  plans  are  carried  out 
tluTc  will  he  fourteen  ra|)id  transit  railway  tracks  in  tninK-l  under  the  h.asl  ivivcr, 
and  at  least  four  such  tracks  over  it  nn  llu'  hrid^es. 

"It  is  helieved  that  the  plans  now  suhniitted  for  cou'^ideratit )n  will,  when 
full\-  constructed,  alford  a  complete  and  adecpiate  solution  oi  the  (.liFhcult  rapid 
transit  ])rol)leni  in  llrooklyn. 

"The  time  has  not  yet  come  for  dealing'  fullv   with  rapid  transit  in   the  RAPID 

Borouirh  of  Oueens.    All  tliat  can  he  done  at  the  present  moment  is  to  ])ro-  TRANSIT 

.  .  .  IN  QUEENS 

vide,  as  has  been  done  in  sonic  of  tlie  routes  transmitted  this  day  to  your  honor- 
able body,  for  lines  connecting'  Oueens  with  Afanhattan  and  I'.rcjoklyn.  Such 
connecting-  lines  are  three  in  number,  namely:  first,  a  tunnel  under  the  l-last 
River  running  from  East  Thirty-fourth  street  to  Long  Island  City;  ■secoiuf.  a 
subway  running  from  the  Williamsburgh  ISridge  plaza  in  Brooklyn  to  the  end  of 
the  Blackwell's  Island  Bridge  in  Oueens  ;  and,  third,  a  subwav  running  from 
East  New  York  to  Jamaica. 

"The  extensive  scheme  of  railroad  construction  contemplated  by  the  various 
plans  adopted  by  this  Hoard,  and  now*  submitted  to  the  citv  authorities  for 
approval,  could  not  be  constructed  at  once,  even  if  it  were  desirable  to  do  so. 
But  a  general  and  comprehensive  scheme  is  almost  essential  in  dealing  with 
such  a  situation  as  exists  in  Brooklyn,  so  that  every  route,  or  part  of  a  route, 
that  may  hereafter  be  built,  shall  fit  into  a  symmetrical  system  to  he  ultimately 
developed. 

"If  the  seven  routes  [this  refers  to  the  Brooklyn  plans]  submitted  here- 
with shall  be  approved  by  the  city  authorities  and  by  the  propertv  owners  or 
the  courts,  this  Board  intends  to  make  contracts  for  routes  or  parts  of  routes  as 
rapidly  as  the  means  at  the  disposal  of  the  city  will  permit,  and  as  fast  as  satis- 
factory contractors  can  be  found  ;  and  all  such  contracts  in  accordance  with  the 
law  as  it  now  stands,  must  be  submitted  to  vonr  honorable  bodv  for  its  apjiroval 
and  consent. 

"The  policy  which  this  Board  recommends  is,  in  its  essential  features,  the 
policy  very  successfully  pursued  by  the  city  of  Paris,  where  a  series  of  loop 
lines  have  been  planr.cd,  and  are  being  built  by  the  city  in  sections. 


*  This  conimnnication  to  the  Board  of  Estimate  and  ApporU'onmciit  was  elated  June  5. 
IQC5. 

i8<> 


RAI'ID  TRANSIT 


DETAILED         "Many  details  as  to  the  mode  of  construction  of  the  lines  proposed,  the 

location  of  stations  and  station  entrances,  the  character  of  rolling-  stock,  the 
PROVIDED  " 

HEREAFTER  method  of  operation,  and  other  important  matters,  nnist  be  left  to  be  settled 
hereafter  in  the  contracts  to  be  submitted  for  approval.  It  need  only  be  said,  at 
present,  that  it  is  the  intention  of  the  Board  to  avail  itself  fully  of  the  valuable 
experience  gained  in  the  subways  now  constructed  or  constructing,  and  of  the 
better  knowledge  that  prospective  bidders  possess  as  to  the  possibilities  of  sub- 
surface passenger  railways." 


190 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


FINANCIAL  STATEMENT. 


The  following  statements  show  the  amounts  expendeil  hv  the  Rapid  Transit  COST  OF 

T5    -1  •     •        r  .1  c  ■  •        1        1        ^  f     o       .      T  WORK  DONE 

Kailroad  Commission  Irom  the  time  of  its  creation  by  the  Act  of  1894  to  Jan- 
uary I,  1905: 

The  total  amount  expended  for  work  done  and  materials 
furnished  under  the  Manhattan-Bronx  contract  up  to 
January  i,  1905  $33,614,000 

The  total  amount  expended  for  work  done  and  materials 
furnished  under  the  Brooklyn-AIanhattan  contract  up 
to  January  i,  1905   822,882 

This  latter  item  represents  a  construction  cost  of  about  $4,114,413,  as  the 
contract  price  was  only  about  20  per  cent,  of  the  actual  cost  of  doing  the  work. 

The  total  yearly  expenditures  for  regular  and  extra  work  have  been  as 
follows : 

1900  1901  igo2  1903  1904  Total  YEARLY 

Regular  work  $1,685,000    $10,343,000    $11,436,000     $6,930,000     $3,220,000    $33,614,000  EXPENDl- 

Extra  work   162,000         949,994       2,241,528         951,730       4,305,252  TURES 

Total   $1,685,000    $10,505,000    $12,385,994     $9,171,528     $4,171,730  $37,919,252 

In  the  following  table  are  presented  the  disbursements  of  the  Commission 
during  yearly  periods  from  1894  to  January  i,  1905.  It  will  be  observed  that 
the  expenses  of  the  administrative  and  general  office  were  $299,278  and  the  legal 
expenses  $290,714.  The  total  expense  of  the  engineering  department,  including 
all  salaries,  office  rent  and  expenses,  instruments  and  supplies,  amounted  to  only 
$2,106,870,  or  the  remarkably  small  proportion  of  5  per  cent,  of  the  total  ex- 
penditure of  the  Commission.  In  this  expenditure  is  included  work  done  in  the 
preparation  of  plans  not  yet  executed,  in  studies  for  the  Brooklyn  Bridge  termi- 
nals, and  for  other  objects  not  connected  with  either  Contract  No.  i  or  No.  2, 
and  which  may  justly  be  considered  as  outside  work. 

191 


RAPID  TRANSIT 


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192 


riX.l.W  LI/.  SI  .ITEM lis  r 


CORPORATE  STOCK.  1894-  1904. 

MANHATTAN- BRONX  CONSTRUCTION  FUND. 

T(,)i;il  amount  of  proceeds  crcilitcc!  of  the  Corporate  Stock  issued  by  J  he  City  of  New  York 
for  the  construction  of  tiic  iManliatt.'in-I'ronx  Rapid  Tran>it  Railroad  during  tlic 
period  of : 

Pkoceeds. 

11)00.    Amount  of  .Stock  issued    $1,000,000  00 

"   Premium    105,400  00 

  $1,105,400  00 

1901,    .A.moimt  of  Stock  issued    $11,000,000  00 

"   Premium   635,361  46 

 11,635,361  46 

1002.    .Amount  of  Slock  issued    $12,500,000  00 

■'  Premium    803,663  70 

 I. ^. 503. 663  jc 

1903.    Amount  of  Stock  issued  ^   $11,865,000  00 

■■  Premium    237,487  72 

  12,102.487  72 

1004.    .\mount  of  Stock  issued    $5,885,000  00 

"  Premium    82,938  37 

  5.967-938  37 

Total  ami.iunt  of  proceeds  applicable  to  the  construction  of  the  Manh;itt;m- 

Bronx  Rapid  'Transit  Railroad,  froni  igoo  to  1904,  inclusive   $44,114,851  25 


BROOKLYN- MANHATTAN  CONSTRUCTION  FUND 

Total  amount  of  proceeds  credited  of  the  Corporate  Stock  issued  l)y  The  City  of  New  York 
for  the  construction  of  the  Brooklyn-Manhattan  Rapid  'Transit  Railroad  during  the 
period  of  : 

Proceeds, 

1903.  Amount  of  Stock  is-ued    $301,000  00 

"  Premium    715  29 

 $301,715  29 

1904.  Amount  of  Slock  issued    $1,065,000  00 

■"  Premium    15-359  13 

 1,080.359  13 

'Total  amount  of  proceds  ai)plical)le  to  the  construction  of  the  Brooklyn- 
Manhattan  Rapid  'Transit  Railroad  from  1902  to  1904,  inclusive   $1,382,074  42 


193 


RAPID  TRANSIT 


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194 


FIN  A  NCIAL  ST  A  TEMENT 


SUMMARY  OF  DISBURSEMENTS,  1894-1904. 


Total  amount  of  General  Fund  disbursements  

"    Alanhattan-Hronx  Construction  ]'"inul  disburhcnunts .  .  . 
"  "       "    Brooklyn-Manhattan  Conslrni'lion  I'und  disbursements 


$2,696,864  09 
44,203,251  67 
844,991  75 


I'otal  amount  disbursed  by  the  l:ioard  of  Rapid  Transit  Railroad  Connnissioners 
from  June  18,  1894,  to  December  31,  1904  


$47,745,107  51 


PASSENGER  TRAVEL  DURING  FIRST  YEAR. 


The  subway  was  opened  for  business  October  27,  1904.  During  the  first 
few  days  the  road  was  crowded  with  curiosity  travel,  the  total  for  five  days 
being  1,294,000,  or  a  daily  average  of  258,800.  From  that  time  the  traffic 
fell  tO'  a  minimum  for  a  week  day  of  172,288  on  November  10.  From  this  mini- 
mum there  was  a  steady  and  substantially  even  increase  as  the  public  became 
acquainted  with  the  road,  so  that  the  daily  average  travel  for  November,  includ- 
ing Sundays,  was  205,030.  The  growth  continued  during  December,  on  the 
last  day  of  which  358,566  passengers  were  carried ;  the  daily  average  for  the 
month  was  283,773.  -"^'o  railroad  had  ever  before  shown  such  a  traffic  at  the 
end  of  two  months  after  its  opening.  During  the  entire  year  the  subway  car- 
ried an  average  of  about  300,000  passengers  each  day.  The  stations  ranked  in 
the  following  order  in  the  amount  of  business  done :  Brooklyn  Bridge,  Grand 
Central,  Fourteenth  street,  Fulton  street,  and  Times  Square. 

The  other  transportation  lines  in  the  Borough  of  Manhattan,  while  losing 
somewhat  as  the  result  of  the  opening  of  the  new  line,  did  not  lose  anything  like 
the  total  travel  shown  on  the  subway.  It  is  evident  that  the  new  facilities  created 
new  travel.  This  new  travel  is  largely  due  to  the  convenience  of  the  combined 
local  and  express  service.  The  local  trains  are  used  largely  as  collecting  and 
distributing  trains  for  the  expresses,  many  local  train  passengers  alighting  at 
each  express  station,  their  places  being  taken  by  others  coming  from  the  express 
trains  and  who  are  to  be  discharged  at  the  local  stations. 

As  was  to  be  expected,  the  Brooklyn  Bridge  station  has  done  the  largest 
business.  This  station  absorbed  all  the  travel  south  of  the  bridge  during  the  first 
few  months ;  but  much  of  this  was  diverted  after  the  opening  of  the  stations  on 
the  Broadway  extension  to  the  Battery. 


195 


CHAPTER  XX. 


RAPID  TRANSIT  IN  OTHER  CITIES 


LONDON. 

LONDON  A         London  is  a  city  of  railways.    In  the  city  and  its  suburbs  there  arc  531 

RAILROAD  stations.    With  the  opening  of  roads  now  under  construction,  this  number  will  be 
CITY 

increased  to  more  than  600.  Tha  length  of  all  the  lines — trunk,  local,  and 
tubular — exceeds  630  miles.  There  are  22  stations  that  ma\-  be  regarded  as  ter- 
nnni.  Into  these  each  day  go  4,252  sulnuijan  trains,  and  445  other  trains.  The 
main  object  of  rai)id  transit  enterprises  has  been  to  get  people  from  scattered 
termini  to  their  places  of  l)usiness.  Works,  now  nearing  completion,  will  give  52 
new  stations,  and  new  connections  with  existing  underground  railways.  Elec- 
trification of  the  local  lines,  and  se])aration  as  far  as  possible  from  trunk  line 
traffic,  will  greatly  increase  the  ninnber  of  trains  and  greatly  promote  public  con- 
venience. 

l'\)ur-tiflhs  of  the  half-million  people  brcnight  into  central  London  before 
half-past  ten  every  day  are  conveyed  by  railways  ;  the  remainder  by  tramways. 
The  interior  underground  and  surface  roads  carry  not  less  than  600,000,000 
passengers  per  annum.  Of  this  number  the  District,  Metropolitan,  North  Lon- 
don, City  and  South  London,  and  Central  London,  carried  258,000,000  passengers 
in  1904.  The  Great  Northern  and  City  carried  14,000,000.  The  Great  North- 
ern, Piccadilly  and  Brompton  will  carry  116,000,000;  the  Charing  Cross  and 
Hampstead,  95,000,000;  the  liaker  Street  and  \\'aterloo,  116.000,000;  and  die 
electrified  District  and  Metropolitan,  100,000,000. 
ROADS  These  roads  are  all  private  enterprises.    The  city  derives  no  benefit  from 

UNDER  ji^g  privileges  eranted  ;   and,  bevond  the  restrictions  embodied  in  the  acts  as  to 
PRIVATE  .  '  . 

CONTROL  methods  of  construction  and  operation,  the  companies  are  free  to  pursue  their 
own  policies. 

THAMES         The  first  tunnel  built  for  use  in  the  transportation  of  passengers  was  that 
TUNNEL  under  the  Thames,  from  Wapping  to  Rotherhithe.    The  structure  was  designed 
bv  Isambard  Brunei,  father  of  the  designer  and  builder  of  the  Great  Eastern, 


X(j6 


LONDON 


and  it  was  there  that  the  shield  method  was  intro(hiced,  but  not  in  connection 
with  compressed  air.  Sir  John  Rennie,  sj)eaking  of  this  work  before  the  Insti- 
tution of  Civil  Engineers  in  January,  1846,  said  that  it  was  noted  "for  magnitude, 
bohhicss  in  design,  and  ingenuity  in  the  means  of  construction,  as  well  as  for  the 
extraordinary  difificulties  by  which  the  work  was  attended." 

Operations  were  commenced,  in  1825,  by  a  private  company.  The  work 
was  soon  suspended.  In  1837,  a  Treasury  loan  having  been  granted,  it  was 
taken  up  again.    The  following  description  is  from  the  address  referred  to: 

"The  two  arched  openings  are  1,200  feet  long,  with  spans  14  feet  long  and  DESCRIPTION 
16  feet  4  inches  high.  The  openings  are  separated  by  a  pier  4  feet  thick,  liav- 
ing  64  lateral  arches  of  4  feet  span  between  the  openings.  The  whole  is  sur- 
rounded with  massive  walls.  The  external  walls,  including  openings,  are,  38  feet 
wide  and  22  feet  high.  The  structure  is  approached  at  each  end  by  a  perpen- 
dicular shaft  50  feet  in  diameter  and  80  feet  deep.  The  tunnel  was  intended  to 
be  carried  forward  to  the  surface  of  adjoining  streets  at  such  inclination  that 
carriages  could  easily  pass  through  it  from  both  sides  of  the  river.  The  crown 
of  the  tunnel  is  16  feet  below  the  bed  of  the  river. 

"In  order  to  carry  into  effect  this  very  difficult  work  unusual  means  and  pre-  METHOD  OF 
cautions  were  necessary.  The  ordinary  wooden  center  framing  scarcely  pre-  BUILDING 
sented  sufficient  strength  and  connection  for  that  purpose.  Brunei,  accordingly, 
invented  a  cast-iron  frame  (whicli  he  termed  a  shield)  sufficiently  large  to 
embrace  the  whole  width  and  height  of  the  intended  structure,  and  divided  into 
36  compartments,  each  sufficiently  large  for  a  man  to  work  in,  yet  capable  of 
being  closed  to  prevent  access  of  water  when  required.  The  whole  was  impelled 
forward,  as  the  work  progressed,  by  powerful  screws  bearing  against  the  com- 
pleted walls  behind.  This  ingenious  contrivance  was  perfectly  successful. 
Although  the  work  w'as  twice  stopped  by  the  irruption  of  the  Thames,  the 
apertures  were  closed  with  bags  of  clay  and  other  materials,  and  the  structure 
was  continued  with  extraordinary  perseverance  until  finally  completed  and 
opened  to  the  public  in  1843.  The  whole  was  constructed  with  bricks  set  in 
Roman  cement,  and  cased  inside  with  the  same  material ;  and  it  gives  every  pros- 
pect of  permanence  and  solidity." 

One  of  the  claims  brought  forward  in  favor  of  this  scheme  was  that  the 
entrance  on  the  street  would  not  occupy  more  space  than  an  omnibus.  The  tim- 
nel  now  forms  part  of  the  line  of  the  East  London  Railway. 


197 


RAPID  TRANSIT 


TOWER         The  first  uiulcrs^round  system,  in  the  strict  meaning  of  that  term,  was  the 
SUBWAY  Subway,  wiiich  was  started  in  l'\'bruary,  iSfx;,  and  finished  in  the  follow- 

ing December,  it  was  designed  by  Peter  liarlow,  and  finished  by  his  son.  It 
was  intended  to  provide  means  of  comninnication,  by  omnibns,  under  tlie  Thames 
and  other  large  rivers.  It  was  advertised  as  "the  only  system  capable  of  reliev- 
ing the  street  traffic  of  the  Metrojiolis." 

The  following  information  in  relation  to  this  tunnel  is  condensed  from  an 
address  by  Charles  B.  Vignoles,  president  of  the  Institution  of  Civil  Engineers,  in 
January,  1870: 

The  subway  consists  of  two  shafts,  one  on  Tower  Hill,  and  the  other  on  the 
opposite  side  of  the  river,  near  Tooley  street,  in  the  Borough.  Each  shaft  is  10  feet 
inside  diameter  and  is  sunk  about  60  feet,  penetrating  well  inside  the  Eondon  clay. 
They  are  connected  by  a  circular  tube  7  feet  clear  diameter  and  1,350  feet  in 
length.  The  grade  at  each  end  is  i  in  40.  l^assengers  are  conveyed  up  and 
down  in  lifts  operated  by  steam.  Transit  through  the  tunnel  is  made  by  omni- 
bus along  a  single  line  of  railway,  the  hauling  being  done  by  wire  ropes.  The 
shield  was  forced  forward  by  screws,  as  in  the  former  case,  the  tunnel  being 
lined  with  cast-iron  plates  as  the  work  progressed.  The  shield  overlapped  the 
finished  tube  "like  the  covering  to  the  object  glass  of  a  large  telescope."  The 
length  under  the  Thames  was  finished  in  15  weeks,  the  cost  being  $90,000.  Mr. 
Vignoles  says:  'Tn  this  way  between  3,000  and  4,000  persons  can  be  conveyed 
between  Tower  Hill  and  Tooley  street  daily  at  a  charge  of  one  penny  only." 

Both  of  these  schemes  were  strictly  local  in  character,  and  w-ere  intended  to 
provide  convenient  means  for  passing  the  river,  and  to  relieve  congestion  in  the 
immediate  neighborhood  of  their  termini.  They  were  not  meant  to  form  an 
integral  part  of  any  comprehensive  plan  of  rapid  transit.  That  they  were  after- 
ward so  used  W'as  due  solely  to  circumstances  of  location. 

TWO  TYPES  Erom  a  paper  by  Basil  Mott  and  David  Hay,  read  before  the  International 
OF  UNDER-  „^., 

GROUND  I^ngiiif^rmg  Congress  at  St.  Louis  last  year,  we  find  that  the  existmg  under- 

ROADS  ground  railways  of  London  are  of  two  distinct  types,  namely,  those  constructed 

just  below  the  surface,  and  approached  by  stairs  from  the  street  level,  and  the 

deep  level,  or  tube  railways,  built  in  the  London  clay,  at  depths  varying  from 

40  to  100  feet,  and  approached  by  elevators. 

Fifty  years  ago  an  act  of  Parliament  was  obtained  for  the  "North  Metro- 

politan  Railway,  from  Paddington  to  the  Post  Office,  with  extensions  to  Pad- 

dington  and  the  Great  Western  Raihvay,  to  the  General  Post  Office,  to  the 

198 


RAPID  TRANSIT 


ROADS  London  and  North-Westcrn  Railway,  and  to  the  Great  Northern  Raihvav." 
iPENED 

Subsequently  authority  for  further  extensions  was  obtained,  and  the  various 
parts  of  the  road,  which  now  constitute  the  inner  circle  of  tiie  underground 


system,  were  opened  for  traffic  as  follows: 

Paddington  to  Farringdon  street  (Metropolitan  Railway)    .    .  1863 

Farringdon  street  to  Moorgate  street  (Metropolitan  Railway  )    .  1865 

Paddington  to  South  Kensington  (Metropolitan  Railway)    .    .  1868 

South  Kensington  to  Westminster  (Metropolitan  District)    .    .  1868 

Westminster  to  Mansion  House  (Metropolitan  District)    .    .    .  1868 

Mansion  House  to  Aldgate  (Joint  Line)   1876 

Aldgate  to  Moorhead  street  (Metropolitan)   1884 


Other  extensions,  which  are  only  i)artly  underground,  have  been  con- 
structed as  follows : 

Hammersmith  and  Paddington,  1863. 
Baker  Street  and  Swiss  Cottage,  1868. 

East  London  Railway : 

New  Cross  to  Wapping,  through  Brunei's  old  Thames  Tunnel,  1869 


Wapping  to  Whitechapel,  Great  Eastern  Railway    ....  1876 

Hammersmith  and  Ealing   1879 

Connection  with  District  Railway   1884 

Earl's  Court  to  Putney  Bridge  -   1880 

Putney  Bridge  to  Wimbledon    1889 

Whitechapel  and  Bow   1902 

Ealing  and  South  Harrow   1903 

Messrs.  Mott  and  Hay  say : 


CLAY-LEVEL  "The  enormous  cost  of  constructing  the  shallow  railways  through  the  busy 
TUNNELS  centers  of  London  is,  under  existing  circumstances,  prohibitive;  and,  with  the 
exception  of  the  Whitechapel  and  Bow,  no  such  railway  has  been  carried  out 
since  the  completion  of  the  Circle  from  Aldgate  to  Moorhead  street,  in  1884. 
In  order  to  avoid  the  heavy  capital  expenditure,  the  late  J.  H.  Greathead  pro- 
posed the  alternative  system  of  deep-level,  iron-lined,  tube  railways  con- 
structed in  the  London  clay,  which  is  a  strong  impervious  clay,  and  extends 
practically  under  the  whole  Metropolitan  area." 


LONDON 


At  the  present  time  the  existiii.n'  flecp  Hues  and  those  uiulcr  (■(instruction  or  DEEP  LEVEL 
authorized  are  as  follows:  lines 

City  and  South  London  Dpcned  iHcjo 

Waterloo  and  City   "  i<S<j8 

Central  London   "  1900 

Great  Northern  and  City   "  1904 

Baker  Street  and  Waterloo  Under  construction 

Great  Northern,  Piccadilly  and  Brompton  ... 
Charing  Cross,  Euston  and  Hampstead  .... 

North  West  London  Authorized 

District  Deep-Level  

All  of  the  deep  tunnels  are  iron-lined  tubes,  circular  in  section,  constructed 
under  the  streets  to  avoid  the  purchase  of  property,  and  at  a  sufficient  depth  to 
prevent  interference  with  pipes  and  sewers. 

"The  station  tunnels,  containing  the  platforms,  are  generally  21  feet  2\  STATIONS 
inches  internal  diameter  and  from  300  to  400  feet  in  length,  lined  with  concrete 
and  tiled.  The  only  property  purchased  is  for  the  surface  stations  and  the 
power  station.  LTpon  the  station  sites  are  sunk  the  shafts  for  lifts  and  stairs 
communicating  with  the  platforms.  The  lifts  are  an  essential  feature  of  the 
deep-level  tubes,  and  though  adding  to  the  cost  of  working  the  line,  they  enable 
the  tunnels  to  be  constructed  in  the  clay,  and  have  been  generally  adopted. 
These  lifts  are  utilized  during  construction  as  working  shafts  from  which  all  the 
tunnels  are  driven,  and  no  openings  are  required  in  the  streets.  Consequently 
there  is  no  disturbance  of  traffic." 

Separate  tunnels,  having  an  average  diameter  of  11^  feet,  are  provided  for 
the  up  and  down  lines.  The  advantages  of  separate  tunnels  are  presented  in  the 
following : 

'Tn  narrow  streets,  where  double-line  tunnels  would  be  impossible  with-  DESCRIPTION 
out  encroaching  upon  adjoining  property,  the  two  tubes  can  be  placed  one  over  TUNN  LS 
the  other  without  difficulty,  and  no  property  need  be  purchased. 

"The  ventilation  is  assisted  materially  by  the  trains  moving  always  in  the 
same  direction  in  each  tunnel. 

"The   gradients,   approaching  and   departing   from   the   stations,   can  be 


201 


RAl'ID  TRANSIT 


arranged  to  give  a  steep  gradient  with  the  load  when  departing.  These 
gradients,  where  feasible  in  practice,  are  made  i  to  30,  with  a  fall  of  10  feet, 
which  secures  a  very  rapid  acceleration,  and  reduces  the  power  required  approxi- 
mately 25  per  cent.  The  approaching  gradients  are  usually  from  1  in  60  to  i  in 
ICQ.  With  both  lines  in  one  tunnel  the  gradients,  with  and  against  the  load, 
are  necessarily  the  same. 

"Where  headway  is  important  in  passing  under  existing  railways,  or  deep- 
level  sewers,  etc.,  two  tunnels  have  an  advantage. 

"Tw^o  small  single-line  tunnels  are  cheaper  than  one  large  double-line  one." 

FIRST  TUBE  The  pioneer  of  all  tube  railways  was  the  City  and  .South  London,  opened 

for  traffic  in  1890.  The  following  paragraph  is  from  a  report  to  the  Board  of 
Rapid  Transit  Railroad  Commissioners  of  New  York,  by  W^m.  Rarclav  Par- 
sons, chief  engineer,  in  1894: 

DESCRIPTION  ''This  line  is  interesting  for  two  reasons:    First,  it  was  built  by  a  totally 

OF  TUBES 

*  different  method  of  construction  from  the  other  London  railways;  second,  it  uses 

electricity  for  its  motive  power.  It  consists  of  two  cast-iron  tubular  tunnels. 
These  tubes  arc  at  a  distance  of  from  40  to  80  feet  beneath  the  surface,  fol- 
lowing generally  the  lines  of  the  streets,  and  nearly  always  on  the  same  level 
and  distant  a  few  feet  from  each  other.  In  one  street,  however,  which  was  so 
narrow  as  to  prevent  the  tubes  from  being  driven  side  by  side  without  encroach- 
ing upon  private  property,  one  tube  was  depressed  and  carried  beneath  the 
other.    According  to  the  company's  rc])ort  the  road  has  cost  £267,000  per  mile. 

"The  road  is  operated  from  6  A.  M.  to  11  :30  P.  M.,  with  a  headway  in  the 
busy  portion  of  the  day  of  about  4  minutes.  The  longest  distance  between  any 
two  stations  is  three-quarters  of  a  mile,  and  the  shortest  slightly  less  than  half  a 
mile.  The  street  level  at  the  stations  is  generally  about  50  feet  above  the  plat- 
form level,  communication  being  maintained  by  means  of  two  staircases  and 
two  elevators.  The  elevators  cost  annuall}'  about  £2.650  to  operate ;  a  cost  per 
passenger  of  about  i-io  penny  or  over  5  per  cent,  of  the  gross  receipts.  The 
fare  is  2  pence  for  any  distance. 
VENTILATION  "Ventilation  is  secured  automatically  In-  the  piston  action  of  the  trains, 

which  nearly  fill  the  tunnel,  so  that  each  train  propels  in  front  of  it  a  column  of 
air  which  finds  its  way  to  the  street  through  the  stairways  or  elevator  shafts, 
while  the  same  train  is  sucking  down  through  the  previous  station  a  similar 
amount  of  fresh  air." 


202 


FI 


DES 


VE^ 


MAP  OF  LONDON  H 


I 


LONDON 


The  followins;  lahlc  is  of  value  as  sliowint;-  llic  ^rowtli  in  the  passenger  GROWTH 
traffic  of  this  road : 

junL',  iS()i.  June,  1904. 

Lcntilh  of  line   3  miles,  u  chains  6  miles,  9  chains 

Train  mileage   174,435  589,401 

Receipts   £19,688  £80,204 

Working  expenses   £15,521  =  79%  £36,569  =  45.5870 

NumlKT  of  passengers  carried    .    .  2,412.343  10,225,987 

Dividend   Nil  2\  per  annum 

Number  of  carriages   30  142 

Number  of  locomotives   14  52 

The  best  known  of  the  deep  subways  is  the  Central  London.    This  is  CENTRAL 
located  under  some  of  the  most  important  sections  of  the  city,  as  it  extends  from  ^'-"^'-"-'^ 
Shepherd's  Bush  to  the  Bank,  a  distance  of  about  6  miles.    The  first  act  author- 
izing the  construction  of  this  railway  was  passed  in  1891  ;  work  was  begun  in 
1894,  and  the  line  was  opened  in  1900. 

At  first  the  trains  were  drawn  by  electric  locomotives,  each  train  consisting  of  MOTIVE 
seven  cars,  giving  a  seating  capacity  of  48  passengers  each,  and  drawn  by  a  POWER 
locomotive  weighing  42  tons,  the  total  Aveight  of  the  train  being  140  tons.  It 
W"as  found  that  the  heavy  locomotive  caused  vibrations  in  the  tunnels,  which 
were  communicated  to  the  surface  and  gave*  rise  to  complaints.  It  was,  there- 
fore, decided  to  adopt  the  system  of  multi-polar  control,  by  which,  from  one 
point  in  the  tram,  difterent  cars  could  be  actuated.  The  maximum  service  of  a 
train  every  two  minutes  is  maintained  during  the  two  busy  morning  and  even- 
ing hours.    The  operation  for  the  iirst  six  months  of  last  year  was : 

Passengers   22,921,651 

Train  miles   652,041 

Car  miles   4,654,423 

Ton  miles   76,637,950 

Passengers  per  train  mile   35-15 

These  figures  show  that  the  average  ntunber  of  passengers  carried  per 
train  on  each  trip  is  203.    The  seating  capacity  of  each  train  is  330. 

Particular  attention  has  been  paid  to  the  ventilation  of  this  tunnel.    At  the  VENTILATION 
Shepherd's  Bush  end  a  large  fan  is  operated  which  draws  the  air  through  the 
whole  tube  every  night.     This  fan  is  sufficiently  powerful  to  clear  the  air 


203 


RAPID  TRANSIT 


BROAD   STRKET    FREIGHT    STATION,  LONDON. 


twice  during  the  three  hours  while  the  traffic  is  stopped.  Chemical  examination 
of  the  air  in  the  tube  showed  that  it  was  by  no  means  bad.  while  bacteriological 
observations  gave  results  that  were  better  than  in  the  street. 

The  next  important  line  to  be  opened  was  the  Great  Northern  and  City,  in 
1904.  This  runs  from  Finsbury  Park  to  a  station  at  the  junction  of  Moorgate 
street,  Princess  street,  and  Lothbury.  This  tube  connects  with  all  the  others  by 
means  of  passageways.  It  is  one  of  the  most  popukr  of  all  the  tubes  because  of 
its  extra  diameter,  its  comfortable  carriages,  and  its  excellent  ventilation. 
BLACKWALL  Thirty  years  ago  it  was  recognized  that  additional  river  crossings  were 
TUNNEL  jiee^jed  below  London  Bridge,  but  it  was  not  until  1887  that  the  Blackwall  Tun- 
nel Act  was  obtained.  The  first  proposition  was  to  build  three  tunnels,  two  for 
vehicular  traffic  and  one  for  foot  passengers.  This  plan  was  afterward  changed, 
and  it  was  decided  to  build  one  tunnel  large  enough  to  accommodate  traffic  of 
every  description.  During  the  latter  part  of  1891  the  contract  was  let  to  S- 
Pearson  &  Son  (who  are  now  building  the  East  River  section  of  the  Pennsyl- 
vania Railroad  tunnels,  New  York,)  for  $4,215,640.  Work  was  commenced  the 
following  year. 

PLAN         The  total  length  of  this  tunnel  is  6,200  feet,  of  which  1,200  feet  are  below 

204 


LONDON 


the  river,  'i'hc  ccnlral  section,  for  a  distance  of  3,112  feet,  is  lined  with  cast- 
iron.  It  is  circuhir  in  section,  with  a  clear  diameter  of  24  feet  3  inches,  the 
roadway  bcint;-  16  feet  wide  and  the  footpaths  3  feet  i  inches.  It  has  no 
connection  with  any  of  the  unders^round  roads. 

In  a  lecture  before  the  Society  of  Arts  in  January  of  the  present  year 
Robert  P.  Porter  discussed  the  question,  "Will  the  ever-increasing  traf¥ic  of  Lon- 
don at  once  absorb  all  this  new  accommodation  ?"    He  answers  as  follows : 

"The  American  metropolis,  with  a  capacity  for  carrying  1,200,000,000  pas-  EARNINGS 
sengers  per  annum,  is  preparing  to  carry  2,000,000,000  passengers;  but  experts 
in  that  city  believe  that  in  less  than  ten  years  from  the  completion  of  the  present 
facilities  the  requirements  will  be  3,000,000,000.  In  both  cities  what  may  be 
called  the  traveling  habit  increases  with  the  increase  of  convenience  in  transit. 
The  number  of  journeys,  per  head  of  population,  has  increased  in  a  generation, 
in  London,  from  23  to  200  journeys,  and,  in  New  York,  from  47  to  over  400. 
Based  on  the  earnings  of  the  Central  London  on  a  passenger  traffic  of  55,000,000, 


CROSS-OVER  TUNNEL,  LONDON. 


RAPID  TRANSIT 


the  Baker  Street  and  Waterloo  sliould  earn  £230,000.  The  Great  Northern, 
Piccadilly  and  Brompton.  with  a  passenger  traffic  of  85,000,000,  shonld  earn 
£358,000,  while  the  earnings  of  the  t  haring  Cross,  Euston  and  llampstead  line, 
with  its  75.000,000  i^assengers  per  annum,  should  he  in  the  neighhorhood  of 
£3i('),ooo.  With  a  common  power  house  the  working  expenses  should  he  less 
than  50  per  cent,  of  the  earnings,  the  Central  London  being  just  over  49  per 
cent,  ^^'ith  the  growth  of  London  the  roads  will  undoubtedly  become  profit- 
able investments." 

BERLIN. 

RINGBAHN  The  Ringbahn,  or  Circle  Railway,  was  opened  in  1877.    The  route  was  laid 

out  with  little  or  no  reg-ard  for  public  convenience,  and,  like  other  similar  circular 
railways,  it  did  not  meet  the  needs  of  the  people  concerned.  The  Stadtbahn,  an 
elevated  road  built  wherever  possible  on  masonry  and  earthwork,  and  employ- 
ing iron  for  street  and  river  crossings,  was  opened  in  1882.  It  was  constructed 
on  a  ]:)urchased  right  of  way  ;  and  as  the  undertaking  was  found  to  be  too  expen- 
sive for  private  capital,  the  German  (iovernment  completed  the  work,  mainly  as  a 
military  expedient  to  facihtate  the  movement  of  troops.  The  total  length  is  7^ 
miles.  There  are  5  miles  of  masonry  arches,  one  mile  of  earth  embankment, 
STADTBAHN  and  one  mile  of  iron  structure.  The  route  is  through  one  of  the  best  and  most 
populous  portions  of  Berlin.  Much  attention  was  given  to  architectural  features. 
There  are  four  tracks,  two  for  local  trains  and  two  for  trains  from  a  distance. 
Of  the  10  stations,  those  at  the  terminals  and  three  others  are  for  through  trains, 
and  at  these  baggage  is  received.  The  roofs  of  all  the  stations  are  made  of  iron 
and  glass.  The  largest  station  is  the  Friedrich  Strasse,  having  a  length  of  508 
feet  and  a  clear  width  of  125  feet.  Statistics  show  that  while  the  Ringbahn, 
with  a  much  longer  mileage,  carried,  in  1900,  37.000.000  passengers,  the  Stadt- 
bahn carried  60.500,000. 

ELECTRIC  .\nother  line,  called  the  Berlin  Electric  Elevated  and  Underground  Rail- 

ROAD  ^y^y  \yas  commcnced  in  1897.  and  opened  in  1902.  It  extends  through  the 
central  part  of  the  city  from  east  to  west.  The  underground  part  begins  at  the 
Zoological  Garden,  passes  around  Kaiser  ^\'ilhclm  Gedachtniss-Kirche,  and 
underneath  the  streets  Tanuezien  and  Kleist  to  Xollendorf-Platz.  Here  the 
line  rises  to  the  surface.  From  this  point  it  continues  as  an  elevated  structure 
through  Oberaumstrasse.  Skalitzecstrasse,  Kottbuser  Thor,  and  along  Gitschiner- 
strasse.  Hallesches  Thor,  and  the  Hallesches  Ufer.    It  then  crosses  the  Spree 


206 


RAl'ID  TRANSIT 


River   by   the   Obcrbauin   Briicke,   and   runs   through   Straulauer  Thor  and 
Warschauer  Platz  to  Warschauer  liriickc. 
ROUTE  The  total  length  of  the  underground  and  elevated  lines  is  less  than  a  dozen 

miles,  the  distance  from  the  W  arsaw  Bridge  to  the  Zoological  Garden  being 
about  7  miles.  From  the  first  station  at  Warschauer  Bridge  to  Stralauer  Gate  is 
351  yards,  while  from  the  latter  to  the  next  stop  at  Schlcsisches  Gate  the  dis- 
tance is  495  yards.    The  next  five  overhead  stations  are  at  Oranien  street,  Kott- 


BERUN  SUBWAY. 


buser  street,  Prinzen  street,  Hallesches  Gate  and  Mockern  Bridge.  These  stops 
are  from  606  to  1,120  yards  apart,  and  the  distance  from  Mockern  Bridge  to 
Buelow  street  is  1,665  yards.  The  stone  arches  of  the  overhead  portion  of  the 
line  comprise  1,026  yards,  while  the  steel  viaducts  and  bridges  cover  a  distance  of 
7,960  yards.  One  of  the  conditions  of  the  grant  was  that  the  overhead  viaducts 
should  have  a  clear  headroom  of  15  feet  above  the  road  level  at  all  street 
crossings.  The  platforms  are  on  the  same  level  as  the  car  floors.  They  are 
about  250  feet  long,  and  are  covered  for  more  than  half  their  length.  There 


210 


Tim  IWD.l/'IiST  lilJiCTRIC  Sl'liWAY 


arc  no  waiting  rooms,  the  clc-vatcd  i)ortion  of  the  station  consisting  merely  of  a 
hall,  staircases,  and  ticket-distributing  devices.  The  elevated  structure  has  two 
tracks  of  standard  gauge,  ])lacc(l  3  meters  apart.  The  smallest  curves  have  a 
radius  of  about  80  meters. 

The  tunnels  were  constructed  under  streets,  the  top  of  the  arch  being  2  feet  STRUCTURAL 

FFATHRES 

below  the  surface.  The  distance  between  the  transverse  girders  is  5  feet,  the 
rise  of  the  arches  8  inches,  and  the  total  width  of  the  subway  21  feet  3  inches. 
Dryness  is  insured  by  the  use  of  asphalt  sheathing  in  the  trenches,  side  walls,  and 
roofs.  The  center  of  the  span  is  supported  by  a  row  of  steel  columns.  The 
tunnel  has  niches  in  the  walls  at  every  75  feet,  and  is  drained  by  a  culvert  in 
the  center  of  each  track,  which  leads  to  a  sump  from  which  the  water  is  pumped 
into  the  sewers.  The  inclines  from  the  tunnels  to  the  viaducts  have  grades  of 
1.38.  This  portion  of  the  system  starts  at  the  west  of  the  city,  north  of  Charlot- 
tenburg,  near  the  Zoological  Garden,  and  terminates  at  Nollendorf  Place.  The 
total  length  of  tunnel  is  1,856  yards,  and  the  tunnel  approaches  are  622  yards 
long. 

The  power  house  is  near  the  center  of  the  line,  where  the  road  meets  the  ELECTRICAL 
Ringbahn  at  the  Potsdam  station.  The  third  rail  system  of  distribution  is  used.  EQUIPMENT 
The  trains  weigh  80  tons  loaded,  and  consist  of  three  cars,  the  first  and  last 
being  motor  cars.  They  are  provided  with  motors  upon  each  of  the  four  axles. 
The  motors  are  geared  to  obtain  a  train  speed  of  30  kilometers  per  hour.  Each 
train  is  made  up  of  two  third-class  and  one  first-class  car.  The  train  headway  is 
from  3  to  5  minutes,  according  to  the  time  of  day,  and  the  normal  speed  is  from 
18  to  25  miles  an  hour.  Each  train  has  a  seating  capacity  of  125  people,  with 
standing  room  for  about  50  more. 

The  total  cost  of  constructing  the  tunnels,  viaducts,  stations,  car  sheds,  and  COST 
track  equipment  was  $5,000,000,  while  the  electrical  equipment  and  rolling  stock 
cost  $1,000,000. 

The  line  was  built  with  private  capital.  The  concession  runs  for  a  period  of 
30  years.  The  company  paid  a  dividend  of  3I  per  cent,  in  1903.  The  traffic  in 
that  year  was  10  per  cent,  greater  than  in  1902. 

THE  BUDAPEST  ELECTRIC  SUBWAY. 

Budapest,  the  beautiful  capital  of  Hungary,  has  an  electric  underground 
railway  about  2  miles  in  length,  extending  under  Andrassy  street — one  of  the 
finest  residential  streets  in  the  world.    Work  was  begun  on  this  system  in  1894, 


211 


KIOSK,    DUDATEST  SUBWAY. 


THE  BUDAPEST  ELECTRIC  Sl'BWAY 


and  completed  about  two  years  later.  It  is  a  double-track  overhead  trtjlley 
sub\va\,  a  little  smaller  in  cross  section  than  the  double-track  I'.oston  tunnel, 
which  it  closely  resembles  in  desijjn.  The  side  walls  are  built  of  concrete 
masonrv  and  support  the  steel  channels  which,  with  the  arches  si)nmg  between 
them,  form  the  roof.  The  street  pavement  is  laid  immediately  upon  these. 
Throuj^-h  the  center  of  the  tunnel  is  a  row  of  steel  columns  supporting  the  roof. 


PORTAL    STADTWALDCHER  BUDAPtST. 


The  tunnel  was  constructed  by  the  open-cut  method,  those  portions  of  the  street 
occupied  by  the  work  being  closed  to  traffic. 

The  accompanying  engravings  convey  a  clear  idea  of  the  manner  of  prose- 
cuting the  work.  The  street  is  fenced  of¥  at  each  end  of  the  excavation,  and  a 
fence  is  built  down  each  side  of  the  cut.  The  entrances  are  very  ornamental  in 
design,  and  in  keeping  with  the  neighborhood  in  which  they  are  placed. 


213 


RAPID  TRANSIT 


PARIS* 


The  rapid  transit  problem  of  Paris  has  been  solved  in  a  manner  widely 
different  from  that  pm-sued  in  any  other  great  city.  This  remark  applies  to 
the  law  providing  for  the  construction,  as  well  as  to  the  methods  used  in  prose- 
cuting the  work. 

'  The   law   authorizing   the    Metropolitan   Electric    Railway    System  was 

adopted  in  March,  1898.    Lines  were  to  be' built  as  follows: 

LINES  From  the  Porte  Vincennes  to  the  Porte  Dauphine. 

A  circular  line  following  the  old  outside  boulevards. 
From  the  Porte  Maillot  to  Menilmontant. 
hVom  the  Porte  de  Clignancourt  to  the  Porte  d'Orleans. 
From  the  Boulevard  de  Strasbourg  to  the  Austerlitz  Bridge. 
From  the  Cours  de  Vincennes  to  the  Place  d'ltalie. 
From  the  Palais  Royal  to  the  Place  du  Danube ;  and 
From  Auteuil  to  the  Opera  through  Crenelle. 

FRANCHISE  The  franchise  was  granted  to  the  Campagnie  Generale  de  Traction  for  a 
period  of  35  years.  This  companx'  was  reorganized  as  a  corporation  whose  only 
purpose  should  be  the  operation  of  the  road,  and  by  a  State  decree  was  called 
the  "Compagnie  du  Chemin  de  fer  Metropolitain  de  Paris." 

The  City  of  Paris  tooki  charge  of  all  structural  work ;  that  is,  of  all  tun- 
neling, excavations,  and  viaducts,  including  the  restoration  of  streets  utilized  to 
their  former  condition,  and  of  the  platforms  in  the  stations,  but  not  of  the  pas- 
sageways giving  access  to  them.  All  other  expenses — such  as  those  involved  in 
the  construction  of  tracks  and  electrical  transmission  lines,  plants,  and  power 
stations,  the  purchasing  of  the  necessary  sites,  the  preparation  of  stairways  and 
elevators  for  the  stations  and  the  cost  of  rolling  stock,  etc. — were  to  be  met  by 
the  company. 

The  fares  authorized  between  any  two  points  on  the  railway  are  15  centimes 

for  a  second-class  and  25  centimes  for  a  first-class  ticket. 

COMPENSA-         A  part  of  the  gross  earnings  is  to  belong  to  the  Citv  of  Paris,  at  the  ratio 
TION  PAID  

CITY  *  Much  of  the  information  contained  in  the  following  description  of  the  Paris  Subway 
is  obtained  from  a  valuable  paper  read  by  M.  Biette,  Chief  Engineer  of  the  Metropolitan, 
before  the  International  Engineering  Congress,  held  at  St.  Louis  in  October,  1904. 

We  are  also  indebted  to  M.  Biette  for  the  excellent  photographs  from  which  the  accom- 
panying half-tones  were  made. 


214 


RAPID  TRANSIT 


CITY  PAYS 


of  .05  centimes  for  each  second-class  and  .10  centimes  for  each  first-class  ticket. 
This  is  to  be  increased  by  .001  franc  for  each  10  million  passengers  till  it 
reaches  .055  and  .105  franc,  respectively,  per  ticket,  as  the  number  of  passengers 
carried  increases  from  140  millions  to  190  millions  a  vear. 

The  lines  form  three  distinct  systems,  and  have  a  total  length  of  77  kilo- 
meters (about  45  miles),  exclusive  of  the  s])urs  connecting  them.  The  first 
system  must  be  finished  by  March,  1906,  and  the  second  and  third  ten  years 
later.  All  the  lines  will  be  underground,  except  a  part  of  the  Circular  Line,  and 
the  line  from  the  Cours  Vincennes  to  the  Place  d'ltalie. 
PART  OF         '^'^^  ^'^^^  ^^^^  authorized  to  contract  special  loans  amounting  to  335 

COST  "I'll'O"  francs  for  the  purpose  of  defraying  the  expense  of  its  part  of  the  work. 
Of  this  amount  285  millions  of  francs  will  be  needed  to  cover  actual  construc- 
tif.n.  The  rest  will  be  applied  as  follows:  Borrowing  expenses,  7  millions; 
cost  of  tearing  up  the  streets  at  certain  points,  28  millions,  leaving  a  reserve  of 
15  millions,  to  be  used  later  in  the  construction  of  branch  lines  and  spurs.  The 
total  length  of  77  kilometers  is  obtained  by  measuring  the  length  of  each  line  on  its 
axis.  If  the  side  tracks,  crossings,  etc.,  are  added,  the  total  length  will  be  84.7 
km.,  counting  the  single  track  for  only  half  its  actual  length.  The  structural 
part  of  the  railway  will,  therefore,  cost  the  city  an  average  of  3,400,000  francs 
per  km.  The  cost  to  the  company  having  the  franchise  is  estimated  at  1,500,000 
francs  per  km.,  so  that  the  cost  per -km.  of  double  track  is  estimated  at  4,900,000 
francs. 

AFPRECIA-  T\\<t  following  paragraph  illustrates  the  public  appreciation  of  the  subwav 
TION'OF  THE 

SYSTEM  system.  M.  Biette  says:  "According  to  the  terms  of  the  franchise  annexed  to 
the  law  of  March  30th,  1898,  the  construction  of  the  first  three  lines  only  was 
made  compulsory,  but  the  success  following  the  opening  of  the  first  line  was  so 
great  that  it  was  decided  to  undertake  the  construction  of  the  entire  system. 
*  *  *  The  order  in  which  the  different  lines  are  to  be  constructed  was  deter- 
mined by  the  convention  granting  the  franchise ;  but  the  City  of  Paris  is 
allowed  to  construct  more  than  one  line  at  a  time,  provided  the  general  order  of 
construction  is  not  changed.  Advantage  has  been  taken  of  this  privilege.  The 
new  lines  will  increase  the  total  length  from  77  to  134  km." 

''^         At  the  time  M.  Biette's  paper  was  read  the  situation  was  as  follows:  Line 

OPERATION 

AND  No.  I,  from  the  Porte  de  A^mcennes  to  the  Porte  Maillot,  the  northern  Circular 
BUILDING  Line;  No.  2,  from  the  Porte  Dauphine  to  the  Place  de  la  Nation,  along  the  bou- 
levards on  the  right  bank  of  the  Seine,  and  the  section  of  the  southern  Circular, 


218 


I'.  IRIS 


No.  2,  between  the  Place  cle  I'Etoile  and  llie  Seine,  now  in  operation.  The 
southern  Circular  Line,  from  the  Seine  to  the  Place  (I'ltalie.  alonj^  the  boule- 
vards, had  been  finished,  so  far  as  the  tunnel  was  concerned,  and  it  was  neces- 
sary only  to  finish  the  great  works  at  the  two  crossings  of  the  Seine  in  order  to 
connect  it  with  the  lines  in  operation.  These  works  are  now  under  way,  and 
will  be  ready  some  time  this  year.  Work  has  been  commenced  on  Lines  Nos. 
4,  5  and  6,  and  the  preliminary  plans  lor  the  construction  of  Nos.  7  and  8  are 
under  way. 

The  number  of  passengers  carried  in  the  first  three  years  was  as  follows: 

In  1901,  52,096,285. 
In  1902,  63.021,068. 
In  1903,  67,993.147. 

From  an  engineering  point  of  view  the  Paris  tunnel  cannot  be  described  as  a  DESIGN  OF 
"tube."  any  more  than  the  New  York  Subway.  The  London  tubes,  strictly  so 
called,  are  circular  in  section,  and  formed  of  cast-iron  plates.  This  form  is 
admirably  adapted  to  the  soil  of  London,  but  was  not  considered  suitable  to  con- 
ditions in  Paris.  The  engineers  adopted  a  plan  having  the  following  character- 
istics :  There  was  to  be  no  metallic  tubing,  except  in  crossing  the  Seine.  A 
double-tracked  masonry  timnel  was  to  be  built  and  was  to  run  as  near  the  sur- 
face as  possible.  This  method  was  considered  to  have  the  following  advantages : 
It  would  be  economical  to  construct,  facilities  of  operation  would  be  greater,  and 
the  stations  would  be  easier  of  access.  It  was  thought  also  that  the  danger  of 
disturbing  adjacent  buildings  during  construction  would  be  less. 

M.  Biette  remarks  further: 

"Objection  to  the  surface  plan  adopted  at  Paris  may  be  raised  on  the 
ground  that  it  requires  altering  underground  conduits,  sewers,  water  and  gas 
mains,  electric  cables,  etc.,  which  are  very  numerous  in  the  subsoil  of  the  metro- 
politan highways.  This  objection  cannot  be  denied ;  but  it  has  been  possible  to 
replace  these  conduits  without  serious  trouble ;  and  the  expense  incurred,  although 
very  heavy,  is  nothing  compared  to  the  increase  in  cost  that  the  tube  system 
would  have  caused  to  no  purpose ;  such  expenses,  in  any  case,  have  no 
weight  if  the  advantages  of  the  plan  adopted  are  considered." 

The  standard  section  of  the  double-tracked  tunnel  is  formed  by  an  elliptical  STANDARD 
arch,  havmg  a  width  of  7.10  m.  and  a  rise  of  2.07  m.,  supported  by  two  side  ^^'-'^"^^ 
walls  finished  inside  by  circular  arcs ;   the  section  is  completed  by  an  invert. 


219 


RAPID  TRANSIT 


The  width  at  the  rail  level  is  6.60  m.  Where  it  has  not  been  possible  to 
follow  this  design  a  metallic  roof,- supported  b\'  masonry  walls,  has  been  built. 
The  parts  of  the  tunnels  connecting  the  cliFfiTLiit  lines  are  single  track,  the 
arched  roof  being  4.30  ni.  wide.  The  stations  are  arched  wherever  the  clear- 
ance allows ;  metal  roofs  are  erected  when  this  is  not  possible.  A  standard  sta- 
tion, whether  arched  or  metal-roofed,  comprises  two  side  platforms  75  m.  long 
and  4.10  m.  wide.  They  are  reached  by  staircases  o])ening  on  the  streets,  and 
leading  intn  underground  rooms  wlu're  tickets  are  sold.  Passengers  reach  the 
nearest  platform  by  other  staircases,  and  those  more  distant  I)y  similar  stair- 
cases, after  crossing  the  railway  tracks  by  footbridges. 

ELEVATED         The  elevated  part  of  the  svstem  consists  of  a  metal  viaduct  formed  by  a 

STRUCTURE        •        r  1  ,,        ,  ,      r  ■  ,  , 

series  01  separate  bents  ot  variable  lengths,  composed  of  two  side  beams  sup- 
porting the  floor  system  on  tlu-ir  lower  flanges.  These  bents,  as  a  rule,  are 
carried  on  cast-iron  columns ;  but  wlien  necessary  to  secure  greater  stability 
masonry  pillars  are  used.  In  order  that  the  viaduct  may  not  interfere  with  street 
traffic,  the  length  of  the  trusses  conforms  to  local  conditions.  Spans  of  about  22 
metres  have  been  found  most  satisfactory,  except  where  longer  ones  are  needed 
for  special  reasons.  Larger  spans  were  resorted  to  in  crossing  important  streets 
and  railroad  tracks ;  for  instance,  the  crossing  of  the  Northern  and  Eastern  Rail- 
roads, on  the  right  bank  of  the  .Seine,  required  three  spans  of  75.25  m.  each. 
The  lower  chords  of  the  girders  are  straight,  and  the  upper  ones  parabolic. 

The  trackway  ballast  is  supported  by  brick  arches  connecting  the  cross-beams. 
This  system  was  adopted  for  the  pur])ose  of  lessening  the  vibration  from  pass- 
ing trains,  and  of  reducing  resulting  noises  and  tremors  to  a  minimum.  When, 
however,  the  trusswork  is  longer  than  usual  and  this  method  would  unduly 
increase  the  dead  weight,  the  track  is  laid  directly  on  a  platform  formed  of 
cross-beams  connected  by  stringers  covered  with  metal  plates.  The  minimum 
distance  between  the  surface  of  the  street  and  lower  chords  is  5.20  m.,  this  clear- 
ance being  sufficient  to  permit  the  passage  of  vehicles  with  high  loads. 
ELEVATED  The  elevated  stations  are  constructed  on  the  same  plan  as  the  viaducts,  each 
STATIONS  iiaving  a  total  length  of  75  m.  Staircases  lead  from  tlie  street  to  intermediate 
platforms,  where  the  ticket  offices  are  placed,  and  from  there  to  the  station 
platforms. 

As  a  rule,  passengers  have  to  change  cars  at  junctions  and  points  of  trans- 
fer. This  plan  was  introduced  in  order  to  avoid  the  danger  of  collisions  in 
switching  trains  between  lines,  and  loss  of  headwav  on  given  lines.    Loss  of 


220 


I'.  IRIS 


time  at  terminals  is  avoided  b_\-  Uu-  jirovision  of  loops,  which  ])(.Tniil  trains  to  be 
moved  directly  from  points  of  arri\al  In  points  of  starting-. 

Two  kinds  of  masonry  are  used  in  the  underground  work,  sandsUjue  and 
concrete;  the  first  beint;-  employed  for  arches,  and  the  second  for  side  walls  rmd 
floors.  All  visible  facings  inside  the  stations  are  covered  with  white  tiles,  or 
enameled  brick  ;  all  other  work  with  cement.  .\1I  metal  work,  such  as  bridges, 
roofs,  and  stations,  are  made  of  soft  rolled  steel  having  an  elongation  of  23  per 
cent,  mider  a  breaking  Inail  of  43  kg.  per  square  mm.  of  section. 

The  preliminary  work,  such  as  diverting  sewers,  water  mains,  and  other 
conduits,  is  let  out  by  public  tender:  this  system  being  compulsory  in  France 
for  public  undertakings  generally.    The  plan  is  described  as  follows : 

"Each  line  is  divided  into  sections,  generally  about  1,000  m.  long,  and  never  METHOD  OF 
more  than  1,500  m.  long  for  underground  work.  I*'or  the  elevated  parts  the  ^'-"L'-'"^'-' 
length  of  the  sections  is  limited  to  about  900  m.  Each  contractor  has  a  time 
limit  fixed  for  the  completion  of  his  work,  and  generally  this  limit  is  calculated 
by  allowing  one  month  for  100  m.  underground,  and  three  months  extra  for  the 
preliminary  organization  of  the  plant.  A  large  premium  is  given  for  each  day 
gained  on  the  limit  fixed,  and  an  equal  fine  imposed  for  each  day  of  delay.  By 
this  arrangement  the  work  is  completed  in  a  comparatively  short  time.  Line 
No.  I,  the  first  built,  with  a  length  of  10.5  km.  (about  7  miles),  was  finished  in 
17  months  of  actual  work,  and  Line  No.  2,  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Seine,  with  a 
length  of  9.4  km.,  was  finished  in  18  months. 

"On  each  section  there  is,  generally  speaking,  only  one  point  at  which  ground 
is  broken  ;  but  other  secondary  points  are  sometimes  authorized,  as  at  stations  or 
other  works  of  special  importance.  At  such  points  the  contractor  sinks  vertical 
shafts  in  which  electric  elevators  are  installed  for  hoisting  excavated  material, 
and  lowering  materials  of  construction.  In  the  ordinary  construction  of  the 
tunnel  the  method  followed  is  nearly  always  to  construct  the  arch  first,  the  side 
walls  next,  and  then  the  floor. 

"For  stations,  however,  and  arches  of  special  works,  where  the  span  is 
more  than  10  m.,  the  side  walls,  or  abutments,  are  first  constructed  in  galleries, 
and  then,  as  the  case  may  be,  the  arch  is  constructed,  or  the  metallic  roof  put  in 
position ;  the  core  of  the  tunnel  is  then  excavated,  and  finally  the  masonry  for 
the  floor  is  laid." 

At  first  it  was  expected  to  construct  Line  No.  i  by  means  of  a  shield  of  the  SHIELD  NOT 

APPLICABLE 


221 


R/iriD  TRANSIT 


Brunei  type.  It  was  expected  that  the  shield  plan  would  do  away  with  most  of 
the  breaking  up  of  the  streets.  But  better  results  were  not  obtained  with  it 
than  with  timbered  headings.  Where  the  design  calls  for  a  strong  lining  like 
cast-iron,  and  where  progress  is  made  through  material  of  uniform  consistency, 
the  shield  presents  marked  advantages ;  but  in  ground  of  a  varying  character, 
such  as  the  sub-soil  of  Paris,  the  results  are  not  so  satisfactory.  In  that  city 
excavations,  bad  fillings,  foundations  of  old  buildings,  and  the  like,  which  pre- 
vent the  regular  advance  of  a  mechanical  device,  are  encountered.  In  ground  of 
that  kind  it  is  often  necessary  to  increase  the  strength  of  masonry,  either  by 
reducing  the  outside  cross-section  or  by  increasing  the  thickness.  Such  modi- 
fications are  difficult  to  make  when  the  shield  is  used. 
ADVANCING  The  heading  was  advanced  by  digging  out  the  highest  part  of  the  tunnel 
HEADINGS  ^j^j  constructing  the  arch.  In  some  localities  good  results  were  obtained  by 
opening  two  headings  simultaneonslv,  one  at  the  top  and  the  other  at  the  hot- 


PARIS 


torn,  the  last  one  being  kept  in  advance  of  tlie  first.  The  lower  heading  is  used 
to  carry  out  the  eartli,  and  the  other  to  bring  in  the  materials  for  the  arch.  The 
arch  niasoiu"v  is  built  in  sections  3,  ni.  in  length.  In  solid  ground  the  bench  is 
nearly  all  taken  out  before  the  walls  are  begun;  but  in  soft  earth  trenches  of 
variable  dimensions  are  cut  before  the  bench  is  removed.  When  the  arch  and 
retaining  walls  have  been  conii)leted,  grout  is  forced  behind  the  masonry  so  as  to 
fill  any  spaces  between  the  masonry  and  earth,  these  injections  being  made 
through  holes  left  in  the  masonry  during  eoimiruction.  The  holes  are  pro- 
vided over  the  whole  surface  of  the  arches  and  one-half  meter  down  below  the 
springings. 

One  of  the  most  difficult  problems  to  solve,  in  the  construction  of  the  Metro-  REMOVING 

EA  RTH 

politan  Railway,  was  the  removal  of  excavated  material  and  the  carrying  in  of 
materials  of  construction.  If  it  is  considered  that  when  a  bench  is  removed  an 
average  section  produces  from  800  to  1,000  cu.  m.  per  24  hours,  it  is  easy  to 


BRIDGE  ACROSS  SEINE  PARIS. 


RAPID  TRANSIT 


understand  how  difficult  it  is  to  remove  such  amount  of  earth  by  means  of 
ordinary  carts  in  the  center  of  tlie  heavy  traffic  of  Paris.  Methods  more  mod- 
ern, more  rapid,  and  more  economical  were  sought.  For  instance,  in  the  cen- 
tral part  of  Line  No.  i,  running  at  a  short  distance  from  the  Seine,  the 
contractors  did  not  hesitate  to  build  special  galleries,  nianv  hundreds  of  yards 
long,  in  order  to  connect  the  tunnel  with  the  Seine,  and  thus  allow  the  removal 
of  the  excavated  material  by  boats.  At  other  points  the  street  car  tracks  con- 
nerling  witli  the  suliurhs  of  Paris  have  been  taken  advantage  of.  .Spiuvs  have 
been  constructed  from  these  tracks  to  elevators  in  the  working  sites  so  as  to 
allow  the  direct  removal  of  excavated  material  without  reloading.  On  I>ine 
No.  3  the  earth  coming  from  the  central  sections  near  the  St.  Lazare  Station, 
the  Opera,  and  the  Bourse  has  been  carried  beyond  Paris  by  means  of  a  tem- 
porary spur  constructed  s])ecially  to  connect  with  the  Ouest  Railroad. 

WORK  AT         JJnes  2  and  8  cross  the  Seine  twice,  and  Lines  4  and  6  once.    Lines  4  and  8 
THE  SEINE 

pass  underneath  the  river  through  metal  tubes.  The  Passy  Viaduct  is  double- 
decked,  one  deck  for  carriage  traffic  and  the  other  for  trains.  It  occupies  the 
site  of  a  foot  bridge  connecting  the  Boroughs  of  Passy  and  ( Irenelle.  It  was 
necessar}-  to  do  away  with  this  bridge,  but  it  was  also  essential  not  to  cut  the 
connection  between  the  banks.  The  bridge  was.  therefore,  moved  back,  parallel  to 
itself,  a  sufficient  distance  to  free  the  working  sites  of  the  viaduct.  This  bridge 
consists  of  two  similar  parts  which  correspond  to  the  two  arms  that  form  the 
Seine  at  this  place.  The  jiart  above  the  wider  arm  had  a  length  of  120  m.,  a 
width  of  6.50  m.,  and  a  weight  of  320  tons;  the  other  had  a  length  of  90  m.,  a 
width  of  6.50  m.,  and  a  weight  of  240  tons.  Two  methods  were  employed  in 
moving  the  two  spans.  The  wider  arm  was  placed  upon  rolling  timber  plat- 
forms, supported  on  piles,  and  moved  by  means  of  windlasses,  the  distance 
being  30  m.  The  entire  operation  was  performed,  in  four  hours,  without  the 
slightest  trouble,  and  without  having  interrupted  in  the  least  the  traffic  on  the 
river.  The  other  span  was  floated  to  its  position  on  barges. 
.DIFFICULTIES  The  difficulties  encountered  by  the  engineers  of  these  roads  were  of  a  type 
varying  widely  from  those  confronting  the  designers  of  underground  roads  in 
other  large  cities.  The  sewer,  water,  and  gas  pipes  found  in  other  works  were 
here  present,  but  a  greater  obstacle  was  the  diversified  character  of  the  ground, 
which  possessed  different  qualities  in  each  section,  and  compelled  the  changing  of 
the  plans  almost  continually  in  order  to  overcome  new  troubles.  One  notable 
instance  was  as  follows:   Line  No.  3  connects  with  the  Circular  Line,  on  the 


ENCOUN- 
TERED 


PARIS 


ri<;Iit  bank  of  the  Seine,  at  the  lioulevard  «le  Courcelles,  between  {\\v  Boulevard 
IMalesherbes  and  the  Avenue  de  \  ilhers.  .'\s  originally  planned  this  eonncction 
was  to  have  been  on  the  level,  so  that  for  a  certain  lens^th  the  tunnel  was  made 
1 8  ni.  wide,  in  order  to  accommodate  four  tracks  and  junctions  between  the  two 
lines  for  handling-  the  empty  cars.  Hut  it  Vj-as  decidi'd  to  ])rovide  for  a  possible 
extension  of  No.  3  toward  the  pt-rii)hery,  and  as  this  could  onlv  be  done  by  pass- 
in^'  under  No.  2,  it  became  necessary  to  deepen  the  tunnel  common  to  both  lines, 
and  to  build  at  oikh'  the  crossing  of  this  line  imder  the  side  wall  of  the  great 
i<S  m.  arch,  ddiis  task  was  done  by  alternating  cross  trenches,  each  2  m.  wide. 
The  crossing  under  the  other  side  wall  of  the  arch,  having  a  bad  slanting  direc- 
tion, two  galleries,  joined  together  by  a  single  track,  have  been  substituted  for 
the  standard  type  of  tunnel. 

Another  difhcult\'  may  be  mentioned.  This  was  caused  bv  the  formation  of 
the  sub-soil  met  in  the  construction  of  Line  No.  3  at  the  Terminal  Menilmontant, 
under  the  Avenue  Gambetta  and  the  Rue  Belgrand.  It  is  composed  of  gypsum 
marl  that  forms  the  bottom  of  a  basin  filled  with  clay  or  fine  sand,  both  being 
imijregnated  with  water.  The  water  bearing  sand  forms  a  particularly  trouble- 
some element.  The  work  was  done  as  follows:  The  side  walls  were  first 
undertaken  in  such  a  way  as  to  obtain  the  drxing  of  the  thin  sand.  For  this 
purpose  a  large  number  of  wells  were  sunk  from  time  to  time  through  the  layer  of 
sand  to  the  marl.  These  wells,  sunk  with  all  the  care  necessary,  w'ere  provided 
with  permanent  means  of  drainage,  and  by  their  continued  operation  caused  the 
semi-t^uid  ground  to  become  firm  enough  to  permit  the  construction  of  the 
tunnel. 

U])  to  the  present  time  the  construction  of  the  Metropolitan  Lines  has  pro- 
gressed rapidly  ;  and  a  considerable  advance,  viewed  from  the  length  of  actual 
construction,  on  the  time  allowance  granted  by  the  franchise,  is  noticeable. 

The  care  taken  to  provide  in  Paris  a  rapid  transit  system  that  wdll  serve  the 
public  needs  admiral)l\-  will  be  appreciated  by  those  who  carefully  study  the 
map  of  Paris  given  herewith,  and  the  rapid  transit  lines  laid  down  upon  it. 

It  w"Ould  be  impossible,  however  for  anyone  to  know  how  little  the  public 
were  inconvenienced  during  the  construction  of  the  lines  already  completed, 
except  by  observation  on  the  spot.  A  visitor  to  Paris,  during  the  time  of  con- 
struction, might  have  gone  about  the  city  for  days  and  have  remained  in  ignor- 
ance of  the  fact  that  the  work  was  going  on. 


225 


RAPID  TRANSIT 


GLASGOW  SUBWAYS. 

FIRST  In  1882  Parlianicnt  f^raiitcd  to  the  Glasgow  City  &  District  Railway  a 
ROAD  f,;j„(.]iise  to  connect  the  two  lines  of  the  North  British  Railway,  so  that  some  of 
its  trains  could  run  lln-ongh  the  city.  This  line  is  3.12  miles  long,  and  has  four 
stations.  It  was  opened  in  1886.  One  mile  was  built  by  tunneling;  3,483  feet  by 
cut  and  cover ;  3,942  feet  in  open  cut  between  retaining  walls ;  330  feet  were 
under  bridges,  and  342  feet  under  the  Queen  street  station,  the  main  terminus  of 
the  railway.  The  road  is  double  track.  The  tunnel  is  a  l)rick  arch,  with  a  clear 
span  of  26  feet  in  rock,  and  27  feet  in  other  material.  ( )n  the  urban  portion  of 
the  line  there  are  four  stations,  all  of  which  are  wholly  or  partly  open  at  the 
top.    The  tunnel  part  of  the  road  cost  £334,000  per  mile. 

In  1888  the  Caledonian  Railway  was  authorized  to  construct  the  Glasgow 
Central  Railway  to  connect  its  existing  lines.  This  is  a  double-track  road,  6.4 
miles  in  length.  In  section  the  tunnel  is  a  brick  arch,  supplemented  with  a  con- 
crete invert  wherever  the  ground  is  soft.  Where  it  was  desirable  to  have  the 
structure  as  near  the  surface  as  possible,  a  Hat  roof  of  plate  girders  was  sub- 
stituted for  the  arch.  Most  of  the  cut  and  cover  work  was  done  along  Argyle 
street  and  the  Trongate,  the  most  crowded  thoroughfares  in  the  city.  Before 
commencing  the  railway,  it  was  necessary  to  rearrange  all  the  street  pipes  and 
sewers  for  a  distance  of  2]  miles. 
BUILDING  I'l  the  act  granting  permission  to  build  the  road,  important  clauses  were 

RESTRIC-  introduced  limiting  interference  with  street  traffic.     Streets  like  Argyle  were 
TIONS 

not  to  be  torn  up  except  betweeri  12  P.  M.  Saturday  and  5  A.  M.  Monday. 
Excavated  material  was  removed  through  special  openings,  limited  in  area  to 
50  by  17  feet,  and  placed  not  nearer  to  each  other  than  200  yards.  Streets  of 
minor  importance  were  torn  up  a  portion  at  a  time,  but  the  surface  had  to  be 
restored  inside  of  three  months. 

Including  those  at  the  ends  and  the  one  at  the  terminus  of  the  Maryhill 
Branch,  there  are  12  stations  at  average  intervals  of  half  a  mile.  Wherever  pos- 
sible the  stations  were  made  uncovered,  only  three  being  entirely  roofed  over. 
Five  are  partly  underground,  and  four  are  entirely  in  the  open.  In  general  the 
stations  are  600  feet  in  length  and  47  feet  in  width,  thus  providing  two  plat- 
forms 13  feet  wide. 

CLAIMS  FOR         Many  claims  for  damages  were  made  during  the  construction,  but  m.ost  of 
DAMAGES  ti-ig  sujts  were  decided  in  favor  of  the  company,  the  exceptions  being  cases  where 
the  time  allowed  for  keeping  the  streets  open  was  exceeded.    Under  the  law  in 


226 


BOSTON 


England,  no  damages  can  be  eolkcU'd  for  commonplace  or  ordinary  obstruc- 
tions, tbc  principle  being  that  the  right  to  make  such  obstructions  is  a  part  of 
the  franchise,  even  though  the  company  selects  the  site.  A  suit  for  damages 
was  brought  against  the  City  &  South  London  Railway  because  it  had  estab- 
lished its  power  station  on  property  next  to  an  orphan  asylum,  thereby  render- 
ing the  latter  uninhabitable.  The  decision  was  in  favor  of  the  defendant,  on  the 
ground  that  the  company  had  statutory  power  to  carry  on  the  undertaking, 
and  to  (.lo  anything  necessary  to  accomi)lish  its  object,  even  if  it  proved  a  nui- 
sance, provided  it  exercised  reasonable  care  and  skill. 

The  total  contract  price  for  the  work  was  £1,900,000,  or  about  £300,000  per 
mile.    The  road  itself,  without  equipment  or  station  fittings,  cost  £1,020,000. 

In  1891  work  was  begun  on  the  Glasgow  District  Subway,  a  line  built  for  GLASGOW 

purelv  local  traffic  and  having  no  connection  with  any  other  road.    It  is  a  two- 

^        -  *  _  SUBWAY 

track  circular  road,  6^  miles  long,  the  route  as  far  as  possible  following  the 
street  lines.  The  two  tunnels  are  11  feet  in  diameter,  and  are  built  of  cast-iron 
plates.  Each  station,  of  which  there  are  15,  is  150  feet  long,  with  island  plat- 
forms 10  feet  wide  and  stairways  6  to  8  feet  wide.  Exclusive  of  land  and 
equipment,  the  road  cost  £115.000  per  mile. 

The  Glasgow  Harbor  Tunnel  crosses  the  bed  of  the  Clyde,  and  provides  GLASGOW 

HARBOR 

passageway  for  vehicles  and  pedestrians.  It  comprises  three  tubes,  having  a 
shaft  at  each  end  80  feet  in  diameter  and  sunk  75  feet  below  the  surface.  Each 
tube  is  16  feet  in  diameter  in  the  clear  and  720  feet  long.  Two  of  the  tubes  are 
paved  for  vehicles,  the  third  being  for  foot  passengers  only.  In  each  shaft  are 
six  elevators  for  handling  vehicles  and  passengers. 

BOSTON. 

Boston  was  confronted  with  a  peculiar  transportation  problem.  Numerous 
radiating  lines  converged  on  a  few  streets  at  the  center  of  the  city.  Some  of 
the  busiest  thoroughfares  were  so  occupied  by  electric  cars  that  vehicular  traffic 
was  greatly  interfered  with.  Many  of  the  streets  in  the  congested  district  were 
narrow  and  crooked,  and  were  bordered  by  business  establishments  requiring 
the  employment  of  many  wagons.  The  problem  was  not  so  much  (jne  of  pro- 
viding rapid  transit  facilities  as  of  relieving  the  streets  within  an  area  about  one 
mile  long  and  not  much  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  mile  wide.  The  solution  was 
reached  by  building  a  subway  through  the  congested  district,  and  placing  all 
the  trolley  lines  within  it.    The  road  has  been  finished,  the  congestion  relieved, 


227 


RAPID  TRANSIT 


and  the  streets  returned  to  tlie  unrestrieted  use  of  i)edestrians  and  ordinary 
vehicles.    A  conipreliensive  idea  of  the  old  and  of  the  present  state  of  affairs 
may  be  formed  from  an  examination  of  the  two  engravings,  given  herewith, 
showing  the  conditions  of  Tremont  street  before  and  after  the  improvement. 
BOSTON         The  Boston  ]£levated  Railway  Company  was  incorporated  in  1894  with  a 
COMPANY  '^'^P'^''^      $10,000,000.    This  comi)any  w^as  to  build  and  operate  certain  lines  of 
elevated  railroad  in  Boston  and  vicinity.    The  company  deposited,  with  the  citv 
Treasurer,  bonds  to  the  amount  of  $500,000  to  indemnify  the  city  for  any  dam- 
ages.   It  is  to  be  assessed,  and  to  pay  taxes  the  same  as  any  street  railway.  On 
and  after  the  first  of  January,  1907,  the  company  is  to  pay  a  franchise  tax  of  not 
less  than  i  per  cent.,  nor  more  than  5  per  cent.,  of  its  gross  earnings,  as  the 
Board  of  Approval  may  decide.    This  tax  is  to  be  paid  into  the  treasury  of  the 
Commonwealth,  and  distributed  to  the  different  towns  and  cities  affected,  in 
proportion  to  the  mileage  operated  in  each. 

This  road  must  not  be  confused  with  the  lines  authorized  by  the  Boston 
Transit  Commission  at  a  later  period.  It  controls  the  elevated  roads  of  the  city, 
but  has  nothing  to  do  \\ith  the  subways,  with  the  exception  of  a  short  section 
constructed  solely  for  its  own  exclusive  accommodation,  as  will  be  explained 
presently. 

BOSTON  The  Boston  Transit  Commission  was  created  by  an  act  approved  July  2, 

TRANSIT   1894,  and  accepted  at  a  special  election  held  fulv  24,  1894.    The  commission  is 

COMMISSION  ,      r  ,  ,  r      ,        "     '  ,   •  , 

composetl  of  nve  members,  three  of  whom  were  named  m  the  act,  and  two 

appointed  by  the  Governor.  The  term  of  office  was  originally  5  years,  but  this 
was  afterward  extended  to  the  first  day  of  July,  1906.  If  the  term  of  the  com- 
mission should  expire  before  the  completion  of  the  work,  the  duties  are  to  be 
assumed  by  the  mayor,  city  engineer,  and  treasurer.  Any  vacancy  in  the  com- 
mission is  to  be  filled  by  the  mayor,  subject  to  the  approval  of  the  board  of  alder- 
men. The  act  names  the  routes  along  which  the  commission  may  build  sub- 
ways, but  the  commission  cannot  extend  these  lines  or  construct  new  ones;  it 
has  no  initiatory  power.  Provision  is  made  for  building  a  bridge  over  the 
Charles  River.  The  commission  may,  on  or  before  the  completion  of  the  sub- 
way, grant  locations  for  tracks  in  it  to  any  street  railway  company,  and  "shall 
order  all  surface  tracks  to  be  removed  from  Tremont  street,  between  Boylston 
street  and  Scollay  Square,  and  from  Boylston  street,  between  Park  Square  and 
Tremont  street ;  and  may  order  any  other  tracks  that,  in  its  opinion,  have  become 
unnecessary  by  the  construction  of  said  subwav  and  tunnels,  and  which  are 


RAPID 


TRANSIT 


above  said  subway  and  tuinicls,  or  witbin  a  (Hstance  of  i,ooo  feet  from  any 
entrance  to  said  tunnels,  to  be  removed  from  tlie  streets."  Electric  wires  may  be 
placed  in  tbe  tuimel  at  such  compensation  as  may  be  determined  by  the 
commission. 

EXPEND-  The  work  is  to  be  ])aid  for  by  bonds  issued  by  the  city  treasurer,  not  to 

ITU  RE 

LIMITED  ^-^'^^^'^  $7,000,000,  and  such  further  amount  for  the  Charlestown  Bridge,  in  addi- 
tion to  the  $750,000  appropriated  bv  the  city  council,  as  may  be  necessary  for  its 
completion.  A  sinking-  fund  is  created  into  which  are  to  be  paid  all  premiums 
from  the  sale  of  bonds,  and  all  proceeds  from  sale  of  lands  or  rights  to  use  the 
subways. 

(  )n  the  completion  of  the  subway  the  commission  may  contract  for  the  use  of 

the  tracks  to  any  street  railway  company  for  a  period  not  exceeding  20  years,' 

tbe  compensation  to  be  determined  l)y  the  commission,  subject  to  the  a])])roval  of 

the  railroad  commissioners. 

ADDITIONAL         The  act  of  1902  provided  for  the  construction  of  an  additional  sxibway  from 

ROUTES  Broadw^ay  and  Washington  street  to  Court  and  State  streets,  and  thence  to  Adams 

Square,  Haymarket  or  Causeway  .street,  together  with  connections  with  the  East 

Boston  Tunnel  and  the  existing  subway.   This  further  subway  was  to  contain  two 

tracks  exclusively  for  use  by  elevated  trains,  and  two  tracks  for  surface  cars. 

AGREEMENT  Within  90  days  after  the  passage  of  the  act,  the  commission  executed  with  the 
WITH  ^ 

BOSTON  c*^"^P'^"y  (Boston  Elevated  Railway  Company,  mentioned  above)  a  contract  for 
ELEVATED  the  exclusive  use  of  this  short  section  of  the  subway  for  a  period  of  25  years  from 
the  date  of  opening.  The  aimual  rental  is  to  be  4}  per  cent,  of  the  cost  of  the 
tunnel.  The  cost  of  the  tunnel  includes  all  expenditures  for  construction  and  acqui- 
sition and  interest  at  the  rate  of  3]  per  cent.,  per  annum,  on  the  debt  incurred  in 
construction  prior  to  the  beginning  of  the  use.  If  the  company  execute  the  con- 
tract, it  ma_\ ,  subject  to  the  approval  of  the  Board,  construct  certain  additional 
lines  of  elevated  railway.  Upon  the  completion  of  the  tunnel  the  company  must 
remove  its  elevated  trains  from  the  existing  subway.  The  commission  had 
granted  the  use  of  tbe  subway  to  this  company  as  a  matter  of  convenience  for 
the  public,  and  no  permanent  rights  had  been  issued  to  the  Elevated  Company 
for  such  use.  The  arrangement  was  only  of  a  temporary  character,  to  be 
annulled  upon  the  completion  of  the  short  section  referred  to. 

AGREEMENT         In  December  of  the  same  year  a  contract  was  made  with  the  West  End 
W 1 TH 

Street  Railwav  Companv,  controlling  the  surface  lines  of  the  citv.  bv  which 

WEST  END  ^  1      .  '  .-!>  .  . 

COMPANY  tb.at  company  was  granted  the  exclusive  use  of  ail  the  subways  then  constructed 


230 


PARK   AND   TREMONT   STREETS  BOSTON.       AS   IT   IS  AND  AS   IT  WAS. 


RAPID  TRANSIT 


FOUR-TRACK    CONSTRUCTION-  BOSTON  SUBWAV. 


and  those  to  be  constructed  in  the  future.  The  term  of  tlie  yrant  is  20  years. 
For  this  privilege  tlie  company  pay's  tlic  city  the  sum  of  per  cent,  of  $7,000,- 
000,  the  compensation  to  begin  when  the  company  assumes  control.  The  com- 
pany also  agrees  to  pay  an  additional  sum  of  5  cents  for  each  passage  made 
through  the  subway  by  a  car  not  exceeding  25  feet  in  length,  and  a  proportion- 
ately greater  rate  for  each  car  of  greater  length.  All  equipment  furnished  by 
the  company  is  to  be  the  property  of  the  company  as  long  as  it  shall  continue  to 
operate  the  timnel  ;  this  equipment  is  to  be  purchased  by  the  commission,  at  a 
fair  valuation,  if  the  company  ceases  operations.  The  company  is  to  make  all 
repairs. 

NO  GRADE  The  routes  built  and  building  are  shown  on  the  accompanying  map.  The 
CROSSINGS  station  at  the  corner  of  Boylston  and  Tremont  streets  is  so  designed  that  there  is 
no  grade  crossing  of  tracks  on  which  cars  run  in  opposite  directions,  the  separa- 
tion being  effected  by  means  of  a  suh-suhwav  for  the  south  bound  Tremont  street 
cars.  At  Park  street  is  a  loop  around  which  all  cars  pass  that  do  not  run 
beyond  this  point.  There  are  four  tracks  under  Tremont  street  along  the  line  of 
the  Common,  these  taking  the  place  of  the  two  surface  tracks.    Bids  for  the 


232 


BOSTON 


construction  of  Section  J,  wliicli  included  all  that  ixirliou  id"  the  subway  on 
Boylston  street  to  West  street,  with  the  exception  of  the  station  at  the  corner, 
were  opened  Marcli  20,  iS()5.  Tiie  lirst  s|)adeful  of  earth  was  removed  on 
March  28,  1895. 

The  incline  is  an  open  avenue  desccndiuL;-  from  the  surface  of  the  ground  DESIGN  OF 
opposite  Church  street  to  the  subway  portal.  The  length  of  the  inchne  is  318  '^'-"^'^^^ 
feet,  and  it  descends  about  17  feet  in  that  distance.  It  has  granite  walls,  under- 
neath and  back  of  which  is  concrete  masonry,  with  all  the  deeper  portions  sup- 
ported on  a  pile  foundation.  The  two-track  subway  is  24  feet  to  24  feet  8 
inches  in  width  inside,  16  feet  6  inches  in  height  along  the  center,  giving  a  clear 
height  of  14  feet  above  the  rails.    The  side  walls  are  composed  of  15-inch  I- 

beams  spaced  6  feet  apart,  standing  on  granite  footing-stones.     The  space 

1 

between  the  beams  is  walled  with  concrete,  in  which  the  beams  are  bedded. 
The  roof  is  supported  by  20-inch  I-beams  spaced  3  feet  apart,  the  intervening- 
space  being  bridged  with  brick  and  concrete  masonry.    The  four-track  sub- 


J 


233 


I'MiK    SrUECT    SI  \  I  ION  —  Ii()ST'l\  SUIiUAV. 


RAl'lD  r  KAN  SIT 

way  is  similar  to  tlie  two-track,  with  the  exception  tiiat  its  clear  width  is  48  feet, 
and  that  it  has  a  row  of  cohnnns  along-  its  center. 

A  provision  of  the  act  re<inired  that  the  commission  "shall  so  conduct  the 
work  of  construction  that  all  streets  and  ])laces  under  or  near  which  a  sub- 
way is  constructed  shall  be  open  for  traffic  between  8  o'clock  in  the  f(jrenoon 
and  ()  o'clock  in  the  afternoon." 

'1  he  method  of  building  the  subuav  will  be  imderstoocl  from  the  following 
extract  from  the  specifications  : 

METHOD  "Trenches  about  12  feet  \\  ide  shall  be  excavated  across  the  street,  to  as 

OF  BUILDING  ^        r  .  110  •  r      .1  .  '       x  o  1 

great  a  distance  and  depth  as  is  necessary  for  the  construction  of  the  subway. 

The  top  of  ihe  excavation  shall  be  bridged  by  strong  beams  and  timbering,  whose 
u])per  surface  is  flush  with  the  surface  of  the  street."  [These  beams  usually 
consist  of  hard  ])ine  10  inches  by  8  to  12  inches,  20  feet  long,  placed  side  by 
side  lengthwise  of  the  street.  Two  or  more  6-inch  I-beams  are  used  for  sup- 
])orting  each  rail  of  the  street  railway.  The  ties  of  the  railway  are  usually  under 
these  beams  and  fastened  to  them  with  bolts.  The  surface  of  the  beams  is  cov- 
ered with  plank,  precisely  flush  with  the  jjaving  of  the  street.]  "These  beams 
shall  be  used  to  support  the  railway  track  as  well  as  the  ordinary  traffic.  Por- 
tions of  the  bridging  can  be  removed  day  and  night.  In  each  trench  a  small 
portion,  or  slice,  of  the  subway  shall  be  constructed.  Each  slice  of  the  subway 
thus  built  is  to  be  properly  joined  in  due:  time  to  the  contiguous  slices.  The 
contractor  shall  at  all  times  have-  as  many  slice-trenches  in  process  of  excava- 
tion, in  process  of  being  filled  with  masonrv,  and  in  process  of  being  backfilled 
with  earth  above  the  completed  masonr}-.  as  is  necessary  for  the  even  and  steady 
progress  of  the  work  toward  completion  at  the  time  named  in  the  contract." 

This  method  does  not  disturb  the  railwav  tracks  at  all.  and  leaves  the 
whole  surface  of  the  street  entirely  free,  in  the  day  time,  for  normal  use. 

MASONRY  The  masonrv  tunnel  is  built  with  concrete  side-walls  and  brick  arches  that 
TUNNEL  gpj-jj^g.  fj-Q,-)^  \x^\\  to  the  other.  The  arches  have  heavy  concrete  backing,  and 
are  further  strengthened  by  vertical  I-beams  about  6  feet  apart,  imbedded  in 
the  walls,  each  pair  of  opposite  beams  being  connected  at  their  top  by  a  tie-rod 
which  passes  just  above  :he  interior  crown  of  the  arch.  The  tunnel  is  12.25 
feet  wide  in  straight  sections,  and  considerably  wider  at  the  curves.  The  heiglit 
from  the  invert  to  the  crown  is  16  feet.  The  side  walls  are  2  feet  in  thickness. 
The  bell-mouth,  where  two  tunnels  join,  is  30  feet  wide  and  has  a  clear  height  of 


234 


BOS  yo.v 


21  feet.  Tlio  side  walls  arc  4  feet  10  inches  thick  and  the  brick  arch  28  inches 
thick.  The  arcii  is  strengthened  by  tie-rods  2  feet  apart  strained  against  washer 
plates.  The  bell-mouth  grows  smaller  in  cross-section  until  it  unites  with  the 
normal  wide  arch  of  tlie  subway,  which  has  a  s])an  of  23  feet  and  a  height  of 
crown  of  i/J  feet. 

A  roof-shield,  similar  to  an  ordinary  shield,  excejit  that  the  lower  half  was  ROOF 

SHIELI 

omitted,  was  used  successfully  on  a  portion  of  the  work.  It  was  an  arch-like 
structure,  12  feet  long,  with  a  rise  of  8  feet  7]  inches  in  its  outer  span  of  29 
feet  4  inches.  It  was  built  around  two  arched  girders  3  feet  8  inches  deep, 
placed  4  feet  apart,  leaving  4  feet  of  overhanging  plates  at  front  and  back.  The 
space  between  the  girders  was  divided  into  10  compartments,  in  each  of  which 
was  placed  a  hydraulic  jack.  Tiie  track  supporting  the  shield  was  placed  on  the 
side  walls,  cast-steel  shoes  being  provided  for  the  shield  to  rest  and  move  upon. 
The  greatest  freedom  and  accuracy  of  manipulation  were  found  possible  with 
this  arrangement,  the  control  of  the  valves  being  effective  in  correcting  slight 
changes  in  direction,  overcoming  uneven  resistances,  and  in  traveling  around 
curves.  As  the  shield  moved  forward  the  i-inch  space  over  the  arch  masonry, 
due  to  the  thickness  of  the  shield  plates,  was  filled  with  cement  grout  (pumped 
through  pipes  left  in  the  brickwork),  so  as  to  make  a  close  connection  with  the 
earth  above.  The  material  passed  through  was  compact  clay  and  sand,  and  loose 
sand  and  gravel,  with  occasional  boulders  up  to  4  feet  in  diameter.  This  is 
perhaps  the  first  instance  of  the  use  of  a  shield  in  connection  with  ;>  masonry 
tunnel. 

The  walls  of  the  stations  are  lined  with  enameled  white  brick.  The  steel 
columns  are  encased  in  concrete  and  painted  white.  The  brickwork,  and  the 
exposed  steelwork  of  the  roof,  are  also  painted  white.  The  staircase  walls  are 
lined  with  white  brick,  and  the  roofs  are  made  of  metal  and  glass. 

Prior  to  1897,  when  all  the  Tremont  street  car  traffic  ran  on  the  surface,  the  DAILY 
utmost  limit  of  capacity  of  the  surface  tracks  was  found  to  be  about  200  cars 
per  hour  each  way.  The  rate  of  progress  was  often  not  more  than  two  miles 
per  hour.  In  October,  1898,  one  month  after  the  complete  transfer  of  the  sur- 
face traffic  to  the  subway,  the  number  of  cars  passing  freely  each  way  at  the 
same  point  within  the  subway,  during  the  hours  of  greatest  travel,  was  282,  the 
rate  of  speed,  including  stops,  being  between  7  and  8  miles  per  hour.  This 
meant  that  the  cars  ])etween  the  Public-Garden  entrance  and  the  Park  street 


235 


BOSTON 


station,  niovcil  on  a  fixed  schedule  lime  of  4  iiiiiuite>  in  the  subway,  instead  of  an 
uncertain  time  on  the  stirface  varyiu-;-  from  10  to  20  minutes. 

When  the  Park  street  station  was  opened  the  commissi(,n  was  confronted 
with  a  proI)lem  apparently  without  a  counterpart  in  steam  or  street  railway  prac- 
tice. ]!etween  the  hours  of  4:30  and  6  in  the  afternoon  the  outgoing  platform  of 
this  station  was  served  by  about  180  cars  per  hour.  These  belonged  to  more 
than  20  difYerent  routes,  and  came  to  the  platform  without  imy  fixed  order. 
The  passengers  did  not  know  what  ca'-*;  were  coming  nor  where  they  would  stop. 
Dire  confusion  was  the  result,  ^iie  trouble  was  obviated  by  the  introduction  of  a 
large  indicator  upon  which  just  before  the  arrival  of  a  car,  the  name  of  the  car 
and  the  location  of  its  stop  were  shown. 

The  East  Boston  tunnel  extends  from  Maverick  Square,  East  Boston,  u,nder  EAST  BOSTON 

TUNNEL 

the  harbor  to  the  city  proper.  It  carries  two  electric  railway  tracks.  The  East 
Boston  approach  consists  of  an  oj^en  incline  139  feet  long,  and  a  wide-arch 
subway  680  feet  long.  The  tunnel  pcirtion  has  a  total  length  of  4,430  feet. 
Under  the  harbor  the  tunnel  is  20^  feet  inside  height  by  23  feet  wide.  The  tun- 
nel was  excavated  by  means  of  a  roof-shield,  as  previously  described,  compressed 
air  being  employed  to  prevent  entrance  of  water.  In  building  the  tunnel  the 
invert  was  put  in  and  the  side  walls  carried  up  to  within  16  inches  of  the  spring- 
ing line  of  the  arch.  The  walls  were  terminated  at  this  height  in  order  to 
serve  as  foundations  for  the  tracks  upon  which  the  roof-shield  was  to  run.  Side  METHODS 
drifts,  8  feet  square,  were  dug  in  advance  of  the  shield,  and  then  the  core  was 
taken  out  and  the  invert  and  side  walls  put  in.  Curved  steel  ribs  made  of  lo-inch 
channels,  spaced  30  inches  apart,  were  used  as  centering  for  each  ring  of  arch. 
After  lagging  had  been  placed  on  the  ribs,  the  concrete  was  put  in.  The  final 
keying  up  of  each  ring  of  the  arch  was  done  through  two  holes,  about  13  inches  in 
diameter,  in  the  rear  girder,  at  the  top  of  the  shield.  Curved  sheet-iron  troughs 
were  extended  from  these  holes  to  the  top  of  the  arch.  Concrete  thrown  into 
the  troughs  was  pushed  into  the  unfilled  space  at  the  crown  of  the  arch.  As 
soon  as  one  ring  of  arch  had  been  finisiied,  the  shield  was  pushed  forward  30 
inches  and  another  ring  put  in.  The  space  left  vacant  over  the  completed  ring  by 
the  advancing  tail-piece  of  the  shield  was  filled  with  grout  forced  through  a 
vertical  pipe  placed  at  the  crown  of  each  ring.  This  was  probably  the  first 
successful  example  of  fresh  concrete  work  in  connection  with  the  shield  method. 

237 


RAPID  TRANSIT 


The  following  is  a  summary  oi  the  cosl  of  the  several  works  up  to  June  30, 


1904: 

COST                Original  subway   $4,158,988.26 

Alterations   243,438.77 

Charlestown  bridge   1,570,197.98 

East  Boston  Tunnel   2,744,088.01 

Boston  Tunnel  and  Subway   156,310.23 


Cirand  Total  $8,873,023.25 


BOSTON  ELEVATED  ROADS, 

The  elevated  railroads  of  Boston,  controlled  by  the  Boston  Elevated  Rail- 
way Company,  extend  in  a  north  and  south  direction  through  the  business  por- 
tions of  the  city.  When  the  present  extensions  shall  have  been  completed  it  will 
extend  from  Forest  Hills  on  the  south,  through  the  city  to  Charlestown  and  East 
Boston  on  the  north  and  east.  The  present  system,  which  is  elevated  through- 
out, passes  along  the  docks  through  Atlantic  avenue. 

As  we  have  already  explained,  the  Transit  Commission  is  building  a  tun- 
nel under  Washington  street  for  the  exclusive  use  of  the  elevated  road ;  this 
and  the  East  Boston  tunnel  under  the  harbor  have  been  leased  to  the  elevated 
company. 

CHICAGO. 

Chicago  has  inaugurated,  and  is  now  rapidly  extending,  a  system  of  tunnels 
that  bids  fair  to  have  a  marked  influence  upon  the  rapid  transit  problem  in  that 
and  other  cities.  The  plan  is  original  in  its  design  ;  comprehensive,  in  that  it 
covers  the  congested  district,  and,  as  far  as  may  be  judged  at  the  present  time, 
effective,  in  that  it  provides  the  desired  relief.  The  fundamental  idea  has  been  to 
place  the  transportation  of  merchandize,  mail,  and  express  matter,  and  all  sup- 
plies and  refuse,  in  tunnels,  and  in  that  way  reserve  the  streets  for  the  exclu- 
sive use  of  the  people.  It  is  evident  that  such  a  scheme,  in  order  to  be  thoroughly 
successful,  must  cover  the  district  perfectly ;  it  would  fail  if  any  portion,  how'- 
ever  insignificant,  were  omitted.  Every  building,  the  occupants  of  which  require 
material  of  any  description  from  without  that  particular  territory,  must  be 
reached  b}'  the  system. 


238 


RAPID  TRANSIT 


SUBWAY 
DEFINED 


CONGESTED  The  business  center  of  Chicago  occupies  an  area  of  about  one  and  a  half 
DISTRICT  square  miles.  Within  this  space  are  the  great  department  stores,  the  office 
buildings,  the  ne\vsi)aper  offices,  some  large  factories,  and  terminals,  including 
six  freight  depots  for  25  trinik  lines  entering  the  city.  In  addition  to  all  this, 
the  district  is  enclosed  in  a  loop  formed  by  four  converging  elevated  roads. 
Some  conception  of  the  condition  may  be  formed  from  the  fact  that  the  team- 
ing, necessary  to  the  transfer  of  goods  in  this  district,  has  grown  to  greater 
proportions  probably  than  in  any  other  city  of  the  world,  regard  being  had  to 
the  space  occupied.  ( )n  thirty-two  miles  of  streets,  the  daily  movement  of  mer- 
chandise averages  aix)ut  112,000  tons.  During  the  busy  hours  as  many  as  1,000 
teams  have  been  counted  passing  a  street  corner  in  an  hour.  Fortunately  for 
those  advocating  the  freight  tunnel  plan,  the  streets,  as  shown  upon  the  accom- 
panying map,  are  straight  and  laid  out  at  right  angles. 

The  following  item  from  a  Chicago  paper  clearly,  although  facetiously,  out- 
lines the  project: 

CHICAGO  "What  the  subway  means  to  Chicago:  Clean  streets,  pure  air,  sunlight  for 
the  people,  underground  subway  for  freight  traffic;  just  the  reverse  of  New 
^'ork  and  London,  where  the  people  are  put  underground,  and  teaming  and 
trucking  given  the  preference.  Coal,  ashes,  dirt,  excavations  from  building  sites, 
offal,  etc.,  taken  ofl  the  streets  and  hauled  underground.  All  the  dirt  and 
annoyance  are  abolished.  Every  building  in  the  business  district  is  equipped 
with  tunnel  connections,  and  thus  brought  into  direct  communication  with  every 
railroad  and  steamship  line  in  the  world.  Freight,  merchandise,  and  fuel  are  hauled 
in ;  ashes,  dirt,  and  refuse  hauled  out.  Uninterrupted  free  traffic  on  the  surface 
for  the  people  who  walk,  drive,  or  ride  in  surface  and  elevated  cars.  The  streets 
for  the  people ;  the  tunnels  for  merchandise,  coal  and  freight."' 

The  inception  of  this  project  was  probably  due  to  a  strong  public  feeling 
that  the  charges  for  telephone  service  in  the  city  were  too  high.  Taking  advan- 
tage of  this  feeling,  the  Illinois  Telephone  &  Telegraph  Company  was  incor- 
porated, and  granted  permission  to  build  tunnels  and  conduits  under  the  streets 
for  telephone  wires.  This  was  in  1899.  In  1903  the  terms  of  the  charter  were 
broadened  so  as  to  include  apparatus  for  the  transmission  of  newspapers,  mail 
matter,  parcels,  merchandise,  coal,  etc. 
ORDINANCE  The  ordinance  of  1903  provides  that  at  the  expiration  of  the  charter  in  1929 
"all  tunnels  and  conduits  heretofore  constructed,  and  all  tunnels  hereafter  con- 


240 


CHICAGO 


stnictcd.  under  said  ordinances,  shall.  willKnU  tin-  paxinrnl  of  any  consideration, 
hecnnie  and  i)e  the  absolute  property  <if  the  city  ol  C'hicai^o.  tree  from  liens  and 
incnnilirances." 

The  ordinances  contain  the  h  ilh.-win;;'  prox  ision^:  The  trunk  or  ni.ain  line 
tnnnels  must  not  he  more  than  12  feet  9  inclu's  in  width  and  14  feet  in  height; 
the  small  timnels  not  more  than  6  feet  in  width  and  7]-  feet  in  height.  Tlie 
crown  of  the  tnnnels  nnist  not  he  less  than  19  feet  below  the  city  datum.  The 
compan\-  must  lower  or  remove  its  tunnels  if  the  city  decides  to  build  water 
tunnels  or  subways  with  which  they  wo'.dd  interfere.  Space  must  be  reserved, 
in  each  of  the  tuimels,  for  the  use  of  city  telegraph,  electric  light,  and  telephone 
wires.  The  company  has  tlie  right  to  connect  up  any  of  its  tunnels  with  the 
lots  of  private  owners  abutting  on  such  streets,  and  also  with  the  branch  offices 
or  delivery  stations  of  said  company,  by  proper  passageways  or  connecting  tun- 
nels. The  company  may  lease  its  works  to  another  duly  authorized  companx', 
but  it  shall  not  maintain  or  operate  cars  or  vehicles  of  any  kind  for  the  convey- 
ance or  transportation  of  passengers,  nor  shall  it  have  the  right  or  authority  to 
lease  space  in  its  tuimels  to  any  person,  firm,  or  corporation  to  carry  passengers 
in  any  manner. 

The  city  reserves  the  right  to  regulate  all  charges  and  rates  for  the  serv- 
ices rendered. 

At  the  end  of  20  years  from  the  granting  of  the  franchise,  the  city  may  DURATION  OF 
purchase  the  entire  property  and  equipment,  with  the  exception  of  the  wires,  FRANCHISE 
necessary  to  the  carrying  on  of  the  telephone  business ;  but  the  telephone  com- 
pany must  pay  a  reasonable  rental  for  the  use  of  the  tunnels.    The  city  is  to 

ixiv  in  cash  the  value  of  the  propertv  as  determined  bv  three  appraisers  in  the  CITY  TO 

...  .        •  PURCHASE 

usual  way.    The  appraisers,  in  determining  the  fair  cash  value  of  the  property, 

"shall  not  take  into  consideration  its  earning  power  or  the  value  of  any  fran- 
chise or  license,  but  shall  allow  for  the  property  the  then  cost  of  duplication,  less 
depreciation." 

If,  at  the  expiration  of  the  grant,  the  city  should  not  desire  to  purchase  nor  to 
operate  the  tunnels,  the  privilege  is  to  be  granted  to  the  corporation  making  the 
most  advantageous  proposal.  If  the  proposal  of  the  Illinois  Telephone  &  Tele- 
graph Company  is  not  as  advantageous  as  that  of  some  other  corporation,  sucli 
other  corporation  may  plirchase  the  property  at  an  appraised  valuation. 

For  the  privileges  granted,  the  company  must  pay  to  the  citv  in  Januarv  of 


241 


(  ///(  ICO 


each  year  the  folluwiiii;'  ])cTcriUat;es  of  iis  gross  recei])ls  fur  the  i)rece(Hii,<;"  year: 
"For  the  first  ten  years  of  llie  grant,  5  per  eent. ;  for  tlie  second  ten  years  of 
the  grant,  S  pvv  eent;  and  for  tlie  halance  of  the  grant,  1  _>  per  cent.  (  )n  all 
gross  receipts  the  eoinp;ui\-  derives  from  tln'  rental  nf  s])aee  in  its  tunnels  and 
conduits  it  shaU  pay  into  tlir  city  treasury  20  per  eent.  annually." 

If  the  company  fails  to  complete  the  work  authorized  hy  the  franchise  penalties 
within  5  years,  it  shall  pay  to  the  eit\-  $200,000  within  60  days  after  the  expira- 
tion of  the  5  years.    In  case  of  failure  to  ]xiy  tliis  amount  within  the  time 
specified,  the  company  forfeits  "all  rights  accpiircd  under  this  ordinance,  together 
with  its  plant  and  equipment." 

If  the  company  fails  to  construct  and  operate  50  miles  of  tunnels,  w  ithin  10 
years  from  the  passage  of  the  ordinance,  it  forfeits  its  jilant  and  equipment. 
Within  5  years  it  must  alsci  have  a  telephone  e(|ui])ment  ade(|uate  for  thciserv- 
ice  of  20,000  subscribers,  or  forfeit  its  plant. 

The  original  company  has  been  succeeded  by  the  Illinois  Tunnel  Company,  ILLINOIS 
which  now  acts  as  both  constructing  and  operating  company.  Twenty-eight  qqmpany 
miles  of  subway  have  been  finished,  and,  wdien  fully  equipped,  60,000  tons  of 
freight  can  be  handled  daily.  The  longest  line  is  about  i  mile.  It  lies  under 
Wabash  avenue,  one  block  west  of  the  lake  front.  There  are  eight  principal 
passages,  one  under  each  street  parallel  with  \Vabash  avenue  and  west  thereof, 
making  nine  north  and  south  tunnels  in  all,  with  four  secondary  tunnels  run- 
ning in  the  same  direction.  At  right  angles  with  these  are  15  tunnels  under  the 
cross  streets.  The  accompanying  engravings  show  the  form  of  the  tunnel,  and 
the  switches  and  connections  at  the  intersections. 

The  work  was  done  bv  what  is  known  as  the  pneumatic  system,  in  which  METHOD  OF 
.    ,     ,       .    ,  '  .       ,       ,    .       ,  ,    '  .  ,  BUILDING 

the  air-lock  of  the  ordmary  pattern  is  placed  in  the  completed  section,  and 

air  at  from  5  to  7  pounds  pressure  carried  in  the  heading.    This  method  was 

not  absolutely  necessary,  as  the  soil  was  of  such  a  nature  that  it  would  stand 

without  caving  or  swelling. 

Following  closely  all  excavation  work,  channel-iron  ribs  were  placed  in 
position,  with  lagging  behind  them.  Concrete  was  then  rammed  in  between 
the  lagging  and  earth,  and  in  this  way  every  void  was  completeh'  filled.  The 
lateral  conduits  were  built  with  a  13-inch  invert  and  lo-inch  walls.  The  trunk 
system  was  con'sfructed  with  21 -inch  invert  and  18-inch  walls. 

In  order  to  prosecute  the  work  smoothl}-  and  rapidly,  the  excavated  mate- 
rial had  to  be  disposed  of  without  delay.    This  was  accomplished  by  the  use  of 


243 


RAPID  TRANSIT 


tramcars  on  a  Ivack  of  14-inch  gauge.  A  line  of  double  tracks  was  laid,  and 
the  cars  were  hoisted  by  elevators  up  the  shafts  to  a  headhouse  built  on  the  curb 
line.  J'he  material  was  dumped  into  wagons  standing  on  the  street.  Most  of 
the  hauling  away  was  done  at  night  to  avoid  interference  with  street  trafific. 
The  first  12  miles  of  tunnel  were  built  without  causing  a  complaint  from  any 
source,  and  without  accident  of  any  kind.  Over  12  miles  of  tunnel  were  com- 
pleted in  ten  and  one-half  months  of  actual  work. 


FRKIGHT   TRAIN   .^T   STREET   INTERS  lit  1  1  UN  CHICAGO. 

Connections  with  buildings  for  telephone  service  are  made  by  drifts,  3  feet  in 

diameter,  from  the  tuimel  to  points  within  the  curb  line,  and  by  driving  2,  3,  4, 

or  5-inch  pipes  to  meet  the  drifts.    In  this  way  the  necessary  cables  are  taken 

into  the  buildings  of  subscribers. 

THIRD  RAIL         The  four-way  intersections  have  curves  of  20- foot  radius,  the  sharpest 

TRACTION  (,m-ves  on  the  main  line  being  16-foot  radius.    The  track  is  2-foot  gauge  laid 
SYSTEM 

-'44 


RAPID  TRANSIT 


with  56-pound  rails.  The  Morgan  tliird-rail  traction  system  is  used.  This  con- 
sists of  a  perforated  steel  plate,  i  inch  thick  by  4  inches  wide,  forming  a  rack, 
which  is  bolted  between  two  lines  of  timber  stringers,  as  shown  in  ihe  engrav- 
ing. These  both  protect  and  support  the  rack.  Engaging  with  the  teeth 
formed  in  the  rack  is  a  gear  driven  by  the  motor  of  the  locomotive.  Ry  means  of 
this  construction  the  rack  serves  both  for  traction  and  as  a  third  rail  conductor. 
The  current  is  taken  up  by  the  teeth  of  the  driving  gears  and  led  to  motors 


TYPICAL    DISTRIBUTING    STATION  CHICAGO. 

geared  to  the  axles.  The  track  rails  are  used  for  the  return  current.  A  speed  of 
between  15  and  20  miles  per  hour  is  attained. 
CARS  The  cars  are  of  steel  construction  throughout,  and  are  12  feet  in  length 
over  all.  They  are  of  the  double-truck,  eight-wheel  type.  The  design  is  such 
that  a  car  can  be  used  either  as  a  flat  car  or  gondola,  and  the  contents  can  be 
dumped  without  removing  either  the  sides  or  ends.  The  box  car  is  48  inches 
wide,  10  feet  6  inches  long,  stands  63  inches  above  the  rails,  and  has  a  capacity  of 
30,000  pounds. 

The  district  consumes  4.000,000  tons  of  coal  annually.    Contracts  have  been 


246 


ClllC.UiO 

made  for  hauling  the  supply  for  many  of  the  large  hiiililings,  and  for  the  removal 
of  the  ashes,  the  contraets  l)eing  in  furee  fur  |)er;()(ls  of  a  \ear.  The  Post  Office 
Department  has  a  contract  with  the  emnpany  for  the  handling  of  mails  between 
the  g(>neral  post  office,  the  sub-stations,  and  the  railway  stations,  to  run  for  a 
period  of  5  years,  the  consideration  being  ajiproxiniately  $175,000  per  anmnn. 

The  company  has  an  authorized  capital  stock  of  $30,000,000,  and  a  bond 
issue  of  like  amount.  (  )f  the  $30,000,000  in  bonds,  $15,000,000  has  been  issued, 
the  remainder  being  held  in  reserve  for  fnture  extensions  of  the  plant. 

Cliicago  is  now  considering  the  advisability  of  building  a  passenger  sub- 
way system,  having  the  following  as  it  niain  features: 

An  underground  subway  system  making  it  practicable  and  serviceable  to  PASSENGER 
put  in  operation  a  one-fare  system  without  the  issue  of  transfers ;   no  grade  SUBWAY 
crossings ;  cars  to  be  run  from  the  different  divisions  of  the  city  to  other  divi- 
sions as  may  be  convenient  for  the  people ;   foot  walks  ten  feet  wide  along  all 
lines ;  a  system  that  w  ill  take  care  of  new  sewers,  a  high  pressure  water  system, 
and  a  storm-water  system. 

It  will  be  seen  that  the  subway  work  already  done  in  Chicago,  and  the  sug- 
gestions for  further  developments,  present  features  radically  different  from. any- 
thing so  far  attempted  in  other  cities  in  our  land  and  abroad.  The  practical 
merits  of  the  plans — those  already  accomplished  and  those  proposed — are  so 
evident  that  one  cannot  but  believe  that  they  will  be  followed  elsewdiere  in 
greater  or  less  measure.  It  cannot  be  supposed  for  a  moment  that  trains  for 
the  transportation  of  passengers  will  be  run  on  the  surface,  because  of  the 
danger  to  other  traffic.  It  can  hardly  be  supposed  that  the  people  of  great  cities 
will  be  content  w-ith  elevated  systems  involving  noise  and  the  disfigurement  of 
streets.  It  would  seem  that  underground  ways  must  come  into  common  use, 
not  only  for  passengers  and  for  freight,  but  also  for  sewers,  for  water  pipes, 
and  for  conduits  of  different  kinds.  In  this  way,  and  in  this  way  only,  can  the 
surface  of  streets  be  reserved  for  ordinary  traffic,  and  the  incessant  breaking 
up  of  pavements  avoided.  For  not  only  are  the  streets  of  our  great  cities,  and 
those  of  European  cities,  greatly  overcrowded  by  traffic,  but  here  and  there  seri- 
ous breaking  up  of  pavements  is  going  on  all  the  while.  The  cases,  indeed, 
are  not  infrequent  when  different  gangs  of  men  are  eiuploved  on  the  same 
street — the  one  replacing  pavement,  th.e  other  opening  the  ground  for  some  dif- 
ferent purpose. 


247 


KAI'ID  TRANSIT 


CHICAGO  ELEVATED  ROADS. 

ROUTES  As  \vc  liave  just  UK'ntioiUHl.  tlic  con.qcstcd  section  of  Chicago  is  embraced 
in  a  small  area  on  the  lake  front  near  the  center  of  the  city.  The  elevated  rail- 
road systems  cover  the  outlying  districts  to  the  north,  west  and  south:  all  of 
the  roads  meeting  in  a  loop  encircling  the  business  portion.  This  ])rovides  for 
the  quick  handling  of  ;dl  traffic  from  three  cardinal  ])oints,  and  for  the  unlimited 
extension  of  the  residential  districts  in  like  directions.  These  features,  in  com- 
bination with  a  Hat  country  in  each,  direction,  vastly  sim])lified  the  elevated 
problem.  'I  he  absence  of  heavy  grades  and  siiarp  curves  is  unicjuc  in  elevated 
railroad  practice.  , 

The  elevated  roads  started  with  the  incori)oration  of  the  Chicago  &  ( )ak 
Park  Elevated  Railroad,  in  August,  1892.  This  was  formerly  known  as  the 
Lake  Street  Elevated  Railroad.  The  franchise  carried  the  right  to  build  a 
double-track  elevated  structure  from  Wabash  avenue  and  Lake  street  west  to 
Wisconsin  avenue  and  South  Boulevard.  Since  then  the  following  elevated 
'    roads  have  been  constructed: 

The  South  Side  Elevated  line,  with  two  routes  extending  directlv  south. 
This  road  is  being  extended  by  east  and  west  lines  at  Thirtv-ninth  and  Sixtv- 
first  streets. 

The  Metropolitan  West  Side  line,  with  roads  to  the  west  and  northwest. 

The  Northwestern  Elevated,  with  a  line  due  north.  This  road  is  extending 
its  svstem  further  to  the  north. 

The  loop  wdiere  all  the  roads  meet  in  the  city  is  controlled  bv  the  Union 
Loop  Companv,  which  leases  the  use  of  the  loop  to  the  other  four  roads. 

PHILADELPHIA. 

Philatlelphia  is  now  engaged  in  the  construction  of  a  comprehensive  sys- 
tem of  rapid  transit.  The  conditions  there  are  more  favorable  than  those  in 
any  of  the  other  cities  we  have  mentioned.  The  city  was  originally  laid  out 
regularlv.  The  streets  running  north  and  south  are  parallel,  and  those  running 
east  and  west  are  at  right  angles  to  the  others.  Two  of  the  streets,  Market  and 
Broad,  divide  the  city  east  and  west  and  north  and  south,  and  are  of  unusual 
width.  These  features  permit  of  rapid  transit  lines  that  are  straight,  and  pro- 
vide convenient  points  for  diverging  lines. 


248 


I'UIL. 11)1:1. rill. I 


'['he  k'gal  hniiulation  of  all  the  corporations  created  lor  the  purpose  of  con-  ACT  OF 
struct ing-  and  operating  elevated  systems  of  municipal  railways  in  Pennsylvania  is  '^2^^'^^'-'''' 
the  Act  of  Asscnihlv  of  June  7,  Kjoi.  Section  1  ])rovides  that  an}-  number  of 
persons,  not  less  than  live,  three  of  whom  are  citizens  of  the  commonwealth, 
may  form  a  company  for  the  purpose  of  constructing  and  operating  passenger 
railways,  either  elevated  or  underground,  or  partly  elevated  and  underground, 
and  for  the  collection  and  distribution  of  mails  of  the  United  States;  permis- 
sion to  erect  or  construct  U)  be  obtained  from  the  local  authorities  of  the  city  in 
which  the  road  is  to  be  operated. 

Sectit)n  2  jjrovides  that  the  ch;ii"ter  shall  be  subscribed  to  by  at  least  three  of 
the  corporators,  who  shall  certify,  in  writing,  to  the  Governor,  the  name  of  the 
company,  number  of  years  it  is  to  be  continued,  and  other  details  in  reg'ard  to 
the  road,  amount  of  capital  stock,  etc.  This  section  prescribes  also  the  powers 
and  ])rivileges  of  the  cori)oration.  These  are  the  usual  privileges  of  such  a  body; 
but,  in  addition,  power  is  granted  to  sell  or  lease  any  road  or  franchise,  or  any 
parts  thereof,  to  other  companies,  or  to  acquire  other  roads  and  franchises. 

Section  8  gives  such  corporations  rights  of  eminent  domain. 

Section  12  provides  that  conslructi(.)n  sliall  !)e  begun,  in  good  faith,  within 
two  years,  and  be  comi)leted  within  hve  years  thereafter. 

A  supplement  to  this  act  enlarges  the  power  of  such  corporations,  so  that  ELEVATED 

thev  are  authorized  to  build  either  an  elevated  or  underground,  or  both  an  ele-  OR  UNDER- 

'  ,        ,  ,      .,  ,  .  GROUND 

vatcd  and  underground  railway,  over  the  route  described  m  their  charter,  alter 

having  obtained  the  consent  of  the  local  authorities. 

Corporations,  incorporated  under  the  original  act,  were  given  power  to  con- 
struct branches  and  extensions.  The  amendment  of  jNIarch  25,  1903,  gave  them 
power,  with  the  consent  of  the  local  authorities,  to  abandon  any  portion  of  the 
road,  or  to  merge  with  other  companies,  and  when  two  or  more  roads  shall  be  so 
merged,  the  commencement  of  the  work,  in  good  faith,  upon  any  part  of  the 
route,  on  any  of  such  merged  roads,  shall  be  a  commencement  upon  all  tne 
merged  roads,  within  the  meaning  of  the  act;  provided  that  the  work  sliaii  be 
completed  within  five  years  upon  all  the  merged  roads,  unless  the  time  for  such 
completion  shall  be  extended  by  the  proper  local  authorities.  This  was  an  impor- 
tant addition,  for  the  charters  of  a  number  of  the  following  mentioned  elevated 

249 


K.iriD  TRANSIT 


ami  Miliuay  lines  would  have  been  forfeited  if  it  had  not  been  for  tliis  provision,  as 
work,  even  yet,  has  not  l)een  I)e<;ini  on  llieni. 

MARKET         The  ^^arkct  Street  l'".levat(>d  Passens^vr  Railway  C"oni])aiiy  was  authorized  to 

SXR  E  EX 

COMPANY  <'p^'i'''t*-'  '"1  underground  mad  from  Delaware  avenue  on  Market  street, 

around  the  Public  lUiildin<4s  under  an\-  and  all  streets  bounding'  the  same,  and 
conlinuiuL;'  i>n  .Market  street  to  the  county  hue,  witli  the  rii^lit  to  come  out  u])on 
the  surlace  ol  Market  street  west  of  Twent\-second  street,  or  throug'h  private 
l)n>pert\-  aecjuired  ])y  the  comjiany,  and  to  coimect  with  the  tracks  of  any  other 
])assenger  railway  company.  Tlie  road  must  be  operated  electrically,  or  by  any 
■other  power  excepting  steam.  The  company  is  to  construct  tubes  or  conduits 
for  carrying  city  telegraph,  telephone  and  fire  alarm  wires.  Subsequentlv  the 
com])any  was  further  authorized  to  construct  a  loop,  branch,  or  road  begin- 
ning at  the  intersection  of  Proarl  and  Market  streets,  on  the  south  side  of  the 
City  [lall,  there  cnnnecting  with  its  tracks,  and  thence  extending  south  on 
Broad  street  to  Walnut  street  to  h'ifth,  thence  to  Arch,  to  llroad.  to  Filbert,  and 
there  connecting  with  its  main  tracks  at  Fifteenth  and  Market.  This  provided 
for  two  tracks  on  Market  street  east  of  r>road,  and  four  tracks  west  of  Broad  in 
addition  to  the  tracks  alreadv  authorized.  The  alternate  privilege  was  also 
granted  of  using  Chestnut  street  instead  of  Walnut.  The  companv  is  also  privi- 
leged to  bridge  the  Schuylkill  so  as  to  connect  the  subway  tracks  with  the  ele- 
vated tracks  to  be  built  to  the  west. 
ROUTES  OF  Similar  ordinances  were  passed  ft)r  the  Ridge  Avenue  Elevated  Passenger 

DIFFERENT  Y^^ilwav  Companv  to  build  a  double-track  elevated  railwav  from  Passvunk 
COMPANIES  ■  ,  .   '  '  , 

avenue  along  Auith  street  to  \  nie,  to  Ridge  avenue,  to  Mam  street,  Manayunk. 

The   Frankford  Elevated   Passenger  Railway  Company  is  privileged  to 

buiUl  a  double-track  road  from  South  street  along  Delaware  avenue  to  \'ine,  to 

Front,  to  Callowhill.  to  New  Market,  to  Laurel,  to  Frankford  avenue. 

The  Passyunk  Avenue  Elevated  Passenger  Railway  is  to  extend  from  Dela- 
ware avenue  along  South  street  to  Front,  to  Bainbridge,  to  Passyunk  avenue,  to 
Juniper,  to  Snyder  avenue,  to  Schuylkill  River. 

The  Germantown  Avenue  Elevated  Passenger  Railway  is  to  extend  from 
Front  street  along  Germantown  avenue  to  Germantown  &  Perkiomen  turnpike,  to 
thf?  county  line. 

The  Broad  Street  Subway  Passenger  Railway  Company  is  authorized  to 

\ 

250 


I'llILAlJliLl'IIlA 


construct  an  underground  road  from  GovcrnniCMil  avenue  under  llroad  street, 
around  llie  I'ublic  Uuildings,  and  continuing  under  Broad  street  to  thc 
counly  line. 

On  none  of  these  lines  was  the  reciuirenient  as  to  the  beginning  and  com-  PHILADEL- 

,      .  .,                    ,11  PHIA  RAPID 

plction  of  the  work  comi)lied  with;  and  the  rights  and  privileges  granted  by  the  jp^t^su 

several  ordinances  would,  therefore,  have  been  forfeited,  had  it  not  been  for  COMPANY 
the  act  above  referred  to  providing  for  the  extension  of  time  of  completion. 
All  of  the  franchises  have  i)een  acquired  by  the  Philadelphia  Rapid  Transit  Com- 
pany, which  operates  all  the  surface  lines  in  Phila(k'l])hia. 

The  plan  proposetl  for  the  Market  street  line,  now  building,  was  an  adapta-  DESCRIPTION 

'  ,  OF 

tion  of  the  Boston  method,  and  provided  for  both  elevated  and  surface  cars.  The  v^qrk 
franchise  for  the  line  gave  the  right  to  build  both  an  elevated  road  and  9.  sub- 
way. There  is  a  double-track  elevated  structure  on  Market  street  from  the 
county  line  to  the  Schuyikill  River,  the  surface  tracks  being  underneath.  A 
four-track  bridge  over  the  river  carries  both  elevated  and  surface  lines  to  the 
entrance  of  the  subway  at  Twenty-third  street.  From  this  point  to  the  Public 
Buildings  is  a  four-track  tunnel,  the  outside  tracks  for  the  surface  cars,  and 
the  inside  tracks  for  the  elevated  trains.  The  elevated  tracks  will  continue 
around  the  City  Hall  and  thence  down  Market  street  to^  the  river  front,  where 
they  will  join  an  elevated  structure  on  Delaware  avenue  from  Arch  to  .South 
streets.  The  surface  car  track  will  leave  the  other  at  the  City  Hall  and  pass 
south  on  Broad  street  in  a  single-track  subway  to  Walnut  street,  to  Fifth,  to 
Arch,  to  Broad,  to  the  City  Hall,  where  it  will  unite  with  the  westbound  ele- 
vated track  to  the  county  line. 

The  tunnel  is  built  with  a  concrete  floor,  steel-concrete  side  walls,  and  roof  of 
I-beams  with  arches  between,  and  rows  of  columns  between  the  tracks.  A 
considerable  portion  of  this  line  has  been  finished.  The  bridge  over  the  Schuyl- 
kill is  practically  complete. 

Work  is  now  progressing  on  the  elevated  portion  of  the  road  west  of  the 
Schuylkill. 

An  ordinance,  passed  in  1903,  provided  that  each  system  of  the  raihvay 
must  be  finished  before  the  streets  are  torn  up  for  another  system.  The  several 
sections  must  be  completed  in  the  following  order: 

From  Sixty-third  and  Market  streets  to  Delaware  avenue  and  South  street, 
the  system  just  mentioned,  in  three  years  from  the  passage  of  the  ordinance. 

251 


RAPID  TRANSIT 


Subway  loop  on  Broad  street  and  Walnut  or  Chestnut  street.  I'iflh  and 
Arch  streets,  one  year  additional. 

Subway  on  Broad  street,  from  Cayuga  to  Walnut  or  Chestnut,  in  two  years 
additional. 

Branches  in  West  Philadelphia  in  two  years  additional,  and  the  remainder 
within  two  ^■ears  additional. 


252 


CHAPTER  XXI. 


PRESENT  RAPID  TRANSIT  LAWS. 


The  failure  of  tlie  two  earlier  Coiiimissions,  and  the  inadecjiiate  (juality  of 
the  legislation  under  which  they  had  acted,  resulted  in  a  study  of  the  legislation 
needed  by  this  Chamber.  A  bill  was  prepared  by  a  committee  appointed  for  the 
purpose  which  became  a  law  in  1894.  This  law  was  amended  in  1895,  1896, 
1900,  1 90 1,  1902,  1904  and  1905. 

The  first  section  of  the  Rapid  Transit  Law  as  it  now  stands  provides  for  COMMISSION 
tlie  ai)pointment  of  a  Board  of  Rapid  Transit  Commissioners  in  each  city  having 
over  1,000,000  inhabitants  according  to  the  last  preceding  national  or  State 
census.  Such  board  shall  be  made  up  of  the  Mayor,  the  Comptroller  or  other 
chief  financial  officer  of  the  city,  the  president  of  the  Chamber  of  Commerce  of 
the  State  of  New  York,  by  virtue  of  his  office,  and  the  following  named  persons: 
William  Steinway,  Seth  Low,  John  Claflin,  Alexander  E.  Orr  and  John  H. 
Starin.  Vacancies  shall  be  filled  by  a  majority  vote  of  the  remaining  members  of 
the  Board.  Four  members  of  the  Board  constitute  a  quorum  for  the  transaction  of 
business.  Each  of  the  commissioners,  other  than  the  Mayor  and  Comptroller, 
shall  take  an  oath  faithfully  to  perform  the  duties  of  his  office. 

From  time  to  time  the  Board  is  to  consider  and  determine  wdiether  it  is  for  ESTABLISH 

the  interest  of  the  citv  to  build  a  rapid  transit  railway  or  railwavs  for  the  con-  ROUTES  AND 

r  1      FORM  PLANS 

veyance  of  persons  and  property.    Upon  the  reciuest  of  the  local  authorities  the 

lioard  shall  consider  and  determine  such  questions  forthwith.  If  the  Board  con- 
siders such  a  railway  necessary,  it  shall  establish  the  route  thereof  and  the  gen- 
eral plan  of  construction.  Such  plan  shall  show  the  general  mode  of  operation, 
and  contain  such  details  as  to  the  manner  of  construction  as  may  be  necessary  to 
indicate  the  extent  to  which  any  street,  avenue  or  other  public  place  is  to  be 
encroached  upon  and  the  property  abutting  thereon  aft'ected,  and  the  concurrent 
votes  of  at  least  six  members  of  the  Board  shall  be  necessary  to  determine  such 
route.  The  route  may  be  located  over,  under,  upon,  through,  or  across  any 
streets,  avenues,  bridges,  viaducts,  and  lands  within  the  city,  and  partly  through 
blocks  between  streets  or  avenues ;  provided  that  the  consent  of  the  owners  of 


253 


R.ll'll)  TR.INSIT 


CONSENT  OF  one-half  in  \aliu'  of  the  ])r(>i)crty  IxmiKk-d  hy  sucli  streets,  and  also  the  consent  of 

PROPERTY         local  anthorities  havin"'  control  of  such  streets  and  avenues  have  been  pro- 
OWNERS 

cured.    In  case  the  consent  of  such  property  owners  cannot  be  obtained,  the 
General  Term  of  the  Supreme  Court  in  the  district  of  the  proposed  construction 
shall  apjKjint  three  commissioners,  who  shall  give  due  hearing  to  all  parties  inter- 
ested, and  determine  whether  such  railway  ought  to  be  built.    The  finding  of  the 
commissioners,  confirmed  Ijy  the  court,  shall  be  taken  in  lieu  of  the  consent  of 
the  property  owners.    It  is  made  lawful  for  the  commissioners  to  locate  the 
route  of  a  railway  by  tunnel  under  any  public  parks,  lands,  or  waters,  and  across 
any  of  the  streets  or  avenues  now  occupied  by  an  elevated  railroad  in  the  city  of 
New  York.   An  elevated  railway  must  not  be  built  on  Broadway  south  of  Thirty- 
tliird  street,  nor  on  Madison  avenue. 
PLANS  TO  BE         Section  5  provides  that  after  any  determination  by  the  Board  of  any 
bo^iTd  of  ''^"^^^        general  plan  a  copy  of  such  conclusions  shall  be  sent  to  the  Board  of 
ESTIMATE  Estimate  and  Apportionment.    It  shall  be  the  duty  of  that  board,  upon  receiv- 

AND  APPOR-  i,^(T  such  plans,  to  appoint  a  day  not  less  than  one  week  nor  more  than  ten  davs 
TIONMENT  .  ... 

after  the  receipt  thereof  for  their  consideration.  Such  consideration  is  to  be  con- 
tinued from  time  to  time  until  a  final  vote  shall  be  taken.  Within  sixty  days  of 
the  receipt  of  the  plans  a  final  vote  must  be  taken,  the  vote  to  be  upon  a  resolu- 
tion to  approve  the  plans.  Upon  the  adoption  of  such  a  vote  by'  a  majority  of 
all  the  members  of  the  Board  of  Estimate  and  Apportionment,  and  the  approval  of 
the  Mayor,  the  plans  shall  be  deemed  to  be  approved  by  the  city  authorities. 
Having  obtained  the  approval  of  the  city  authorities,  the  Rapid  Transit  Com- 
mission shall  obtain,  if  possible,  the  consents  of  property  owners  along  the  line  of 
the  road.  The  value  of  the  abutting  property  shall  be  obtained  from  the  assess- 
ment roll  of  the  city.  If  such  consents  cannot  be  obtained,  the  Board  ma.v.  in 
its  own  name,  make  application  to  tlie  .Appellate  Division  of  the  Supreme  Court  in 
the  judicial  district  in  which  the  railroad  is  to  be  constructed,  for  the  appoint- 
ment of  three  commissioners  to  determine  and  report,  after  due  hearing,  whether 
such  railroad  ought  to  be  constructed  and  operated.  Two  weeks'  notice  of  such 
application  shall  be  made  by  publication  in  papers  to  be  designated  by  the  court. 
The  three  commissioners  shall  determine,  after  public  hearing  of  all  parties  inter- 
ested, whether  such  railroad  ought  to  be  constructed  and  operated,  and  report 
the  evidence  taken  to  the  court,  together  with  their  determination.  If  the  deci- 
sion of  the  commissioners  should  be  in  favor  of  construction,  and  this  should  be 
confirmed  by  the  court,  such  decision  is  to  be  taken  in  lieu  of  the  consent  of  the 


254 


I'RiisiiX'i  K.ii'ii)  iR.ixsrr  laws 


property  owners.    Such  report  shall  be  made  within  sixty  days  after  apiK)int- 
ment  of  the  commissioners,  unless  the  court  shall  extend  the  time. 

Having  obtained  the  consents,  tlie  Rajjid  Transit  Commission  shall  at  once 
proceed  to  i)rei)are  tiie  plans  and  specifications  "includin,<j  all  devices  and  appur- 
tenances deemed  by  it  necessary  to  secure  the  greatest  efficiency,  public  conveni- 
ence and  safety,  including  the  number,  location  and  descrijition  of  stations"  and 
plans  for  turnouts,  switches,  sidings,  buildings,  platforms,  stairways,  elevators, 
telegraph  and  signal  devices,  and  other  ai)plianccs  which  the  hoard  may  approve 
as  "the  best  and  most  efficient  system  of  rapid  transit  in  view  of  the  public  needs 
and  requirements."  The  plans  may  also  include  subways  or  tunnels  for  sewer, 
gas,  or  water  pipes,  electric  wires  and  other  conductors  proper  to  be  placed  under- 
ground. 

Stations  and  station  approaches  mav  be  under  or  over  streets  of  the  route;,  or 
cross  streets. 

The  Board  may  from  time  to  time  alter  such  plans  and  specifications,  but  SEWERS, 

alwavs  so  that  the  same  shall  accord  with  the  general  plan  of  construction  ;  but  ""^^TER  PIPES, 

CONDUITS, 

whenever  a  contract  shall  have  been  made  for  the  construction  of  the  railway,  no  g-j-Q 
alteration  shall  be  made  without  the  consent  of  the  contractor  and  his  sureties. 
When  the  line  disturbs  any  sewer,  water  pipe,  or  other  duly  authorized  sub- 
surface structure,  the  work  of  construction  at  such  points  shall  be  conducted  in 
accordance  with  the  reasonable  requirements  of  the  Commissioner  of  Public 
Works.  All  expense  attached  to  the  work  shall  be  borne  by  the  contracting  com- 
pany. Where  galleries  or  subways  shall  be  constructed  for  sewer,  water  pipes,  or 
other  underground  structures,  they  shall  be  in  the  care  of  the  Board  and  be 
maintained  by  the  city.  Any  revenue  derived  from  them  shall  be  paid  to  the 
treasury  of  the  city,  except  that  where  bonds  shall  have'  been  issued  to  pay  for 
the  construction  of  such  railroads,  such  amounts  shall  be  paid  into  the  sinking 
fund  tO'  be  established  out  of  the  annual  rentals  of  the  road.  Any  corporation 
which,  at  the  time  of  construction  of  such  subways,  shall  own  pipes  or  con- 
duits in  a  street  traversed  by  the  road,  shall  be  entitled  to  the  use  of  such  gal- 
leries and  no  rent  shall  be  charged  for  such  use  except  a  reasonable  charge  to 
defray  the  actual  cost  of  maintenance ;  but  if  the  new  galleries  are  of  greater 
capacity  than  the  old  ones,  the  rent  shall  be  charged  only  for  such  increased 
capacity. 

If,  after  having  secured  the  necessary  consents  and  prepared  the  plans  and  MAY  SELL 
specifications,  it  shall  not  have  been  determined  by  vote  of  the  people  "as  pro-  ANCHIS 


255 


RAl'iD  TRANSIT 


vidcd  by  sections'*'  twelve  aiul  tliirteen  of  chapter  seven-hundred-aiid-fifty-two  of 
tlie  laws  of  eighteen-hundred-and-ninety-four,"  that  such  railway  shall  be  con- 
stnictcd  for  and  at  the  expense  of  the  city,  as  afterward  provided,  then  the 
]'>uar(l  shall  sell  at  ])ul)lic  auctii.Mi  the  franchise  to  build,  maintain  and  operate 
the  road. 

TERMS  OF  The  terms  of  sale  shall  jjrovide  for  the  construction  of  the  railway  under 
SALE  ^YiQ  supervision  of  the  Board,  and  for  the  approval  of  an  engineer  to  be  appointed 
by  the  Loard,  the  salary  of  the  engineer  to  be  paid  by  the  company  owning  the 
franchise.  The  successful  bidder  must  deposit  with  the  chief  fiscal  officer  of 
the  city  cash  or  securities  in  such  amount  as  may  be  determined  by  the  Board  to 
constitute  a  guarantee  of  full  compliance  with  the  terms  of  sale.  The  road  is 
to  be  begun  and  finished  at  times  specified  by  the  Board.  Should  the  company 
tail  to  begin  or  finish  the  road  in  the  times  named,  then  the  Board  shall  have 
power  to  re-sell  the  franchise  and  so  much  of  the  road  as  may  have  been  con- 
structed. The  proceeds  of  such  re-sale  shall  be  applied  first  to  the  payment  of 
the  expenses  of  the  re-sale,  and  then  to  the  discharge  of  any  liens  that  may 
have  been  created  upon  the  property,  and  the  balance  to  be  paid  over  to  the 
company.  The  terms  of  sale  must  specify  the  amount  of  capital  of  the  cor- 
poration, and  number  of  shares  of  capital  stock  it  shall  be  authorized  to  issue, 
the  percentage  to  be  paid  in  cash  by  the  subscribers,  the  maximum  amount  of 
bonded  indebtedness  which  such  corporation  may  incur,  and  the  rates  of  fares 
and  freights  which  such  corporation  may  charge  for  the  carriage  of  persons 
and  property.  But  the  rate  of  fare  from  any  point  on  the  road  northward  or 
southward  within  the  city  of  New  York  shall  not  exceed  five  cents.  The  Board 
may  reject  all  bids  and  re-advertise  the  franchise  for  sale  as  often  as  it  may 
deem  necessary  in  the  interest  of  the  city,  and  shall  finally  accept  that  bid,  which, 
under  all  circumstances,  is  most  advantageous  to  the  public  and  the  city;  and  no 
bid  shall  be  accepted  without  the  concurrent  vote  of  six  members  of  the  Board. 
The  sale  may  be  adjourned  from  time  to  time  at  the  discretion  of  the  Board. 
All  such  sales  must  be  made  for  a  definite  term  of  years. 

Within  one  year,  and  not  less  than  six  months,  prior  to  the  expiration  of 
the  period  for  which  the  franchise  shall  have  been  sold,  the  Board  shall  pro- 
ceed to  re-sell  the  right  to  maintain  and  operate  the  road.  Such  sale  is  to  be 
made  in  the  manner  prescribed  for  the  original  sale.    Any  corporation  thereto- 


*These  sections  are  quoted  in  full  later. 


256 


rRiisii.\T  R.u'll)  Tk'.ixsii  L.urs 


fore  (irt;aiii/A-(l  midcr  tlic  provisions  of  the  act  iii;  v  be  a  purchaser  on  such 
re-sale;  l)iU  if  no  such  corporation  be  the  purchaser,  a  new  corporation  shall  be 
formed  to  maintain  and  operate  the  road.  Such  sale  is  to  be  made  in  the  man- 
ner ])rescribed  for  the  original  sale. 

The  Hoard  may  rent  such  offices  and  employ  such  engineers,  attorneys  and  POWERS  OF 
other  ])ersons  as  it  ma\-  deem  necessar_\-  to  tiie  proper  performance  of  its  duties.  BOARD 
It  may  sue  in  the  name  and  on  behalf  of  the  city.  It  may  bring  actions  to  recover 
damages  for  any  violation  of  contract.  Every  action  or  ])roceeding  brought  by 
the  Board  shall  have  preference  above  all  causes  not  criminal  on  the  calendar  of 
every  court,  and  may  be  brought  on  for  trial  or  argument  upon  notice  of  eight 
days  for  any  day  of  any  term  on  which  the  court  shall  be  in  session. 

The  Board  of  Estimate  and  Apportionment,  or  other  board  on  which  is  PAYMENT 
imposed  the  duty  and  in,  which  is  vested  the  power  of  making  appropriations  of  eOARcf^^ 
public  moneys  for  the  purposes  of  tiie  city  government,  shall,  on  requisition 
duly  made  by  the  Board  of  Rapid  Transit  Connnissioners,  appropriate  such 
sum  or  sums  of  money  as  may  be  requisite  to  properly  enable  it  to  perform  its 
duties.  Such  appropriation  shall  be  made  forthwith  upon  presentation  of  a  requi- 
sition from  the  Board,  which,  shall  state  the  purposes  for  which  such  moneys 
are  required.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Auditor  and  Comptroller,  after  such 
appropriations  have  been  made,  to  audit  and  pay  the  proper  expenditures  and 
compensation  of  the  commissioners,  upon  vouchers  furnished  by  the  com- 
missioners. 

For  the  purpose  of  providing  funds  with  which  to  pay  these  sums,  the  BONDS 
Comptroller  or  other  chief  financial  officer  of  the  city  is  authorized  to  issue  and 
sell  revenue  bonds  of  the  city  in  anticipation  of  receipt  of  taxes,  and  out  of  the 
proceeds  of  such  bonds  to  make  the  required  payments.  The  amount  neces- 
sary to  pay  the  principal  and  interest  of  the  bonds  shall  be  included  in  the  esti- 
mate of  monevs  necessary  to  be  raised  by  taxation  to  carry  on  the  business  of 
the  citv.  All  expenses  of  the  Rapid  Transit  Commission,  including  the  com- 
pensation of  the  Commissioners,  shall  be  repaid,  with  interest,  by  the  successful 
bidder  for  the  franchise.  The  compensation  to  be  paid  the  Commissioners 
shall  be  determined  by  the  general  term  of  the  Supreme  Court  in  the  depart- 
ment in  which  the  city  shall  be  located. 

The  articles  of  association  of  the  corporation  building  and  operating  the 
road  shall  he  signed  by  not  less  than  twenty-five  persons.  The  articles  must 
state  that  thcv  are  made  and  filed  for  the  purpose  of  taking  and  exercising  the 

257 


RAPID  TRANSIT 


SUBSCRIP-  rights  purchased.    The  articles  must  be  approved  by  a  vote  of  six  members  of 

TION  TO  (.|-,g  Board.  Immediately  after  the  articles  of  association  shall  have  been  approved 
CAPITAL  , 

STOCK  OF  filed,  the  Board  of  Rapid  Transit  Commissioners  shall  open  books  of  sub- 

CORPORA-  scription  to  the  capital  stock  of  the  corporation,  and  shall  give  public  notice  of 
'^^'^^  such  opening.  When  the  full  amount  of  such  capital  stock  shall  have  been 
subscribed  by  not  less  than  fifty  persons,  and  such  percentage  of  the  amount 
subscribed  as  may  have  been  fixed  by  the  Board  in  the  terms  of  sale  shall  have 
been  paid  in,  in  cash,  the  Board  shall  call  a  meeting  of  the  subscribers  for  the 
purpose  of  organizing  the  corporation.  At  such  meeting  of  the  subscribers 
thirteen  directors  shall  be  elected,  each  of  whom  shall  be  a  holder  in  his  own 
right  of  at  least  one  hundred  shares  of  stock. 
BY-LAWS  The  by-laws  to  be  adopted  must  provide  the  term  of  office  of  the  directors, 
which  shall  not  exceed  one  \  ear ;  the  manner  of  filling  vacancies;  the  time  and 
place  of  the  annual  meeting  of  the  directors;  manner  of  calling  and  holding 
special  meetings ;  the  number  of  stockholders  who  shall  attend  in  person  or  by 
proxy  any  stockholders'  meeting  in  order  to  constitute  a  quorum  ;  the  officers  of 
the  corporation,  the  manner  of  their  election  by  the  directors,  and  their  powers 
and  duties ;  the  manner  of  amending  the  by-laws. 

If  in  their  judgment  the  public  interest  requires  it,  the  Board  may,  at  any 
time  after  the  full  organization  of  the  corporation,  by  the  concurrent  vote  of 
six  members,  alter  or  add  to  the  detailed  plans  and  specifications,  provided  these 
plans  do  not  change  the  route  of  the  railway  and  are  not  inconsistent  with  the 
general  plan  of  construction.  Such  change  must  be  approved  bv  a  vote  of  two- 
thirds  of  the  directors. 

ROAD  FREE         Every  corporation  organized  mider  this  act  shall  have  its  principal  office 

t-ROM  TAX  gj^^j       taxed  on  its  propertv  in  the  citv  where  the  railway  is  situated.    But  no 
UNTIL  .  . 

OPERATION  taxes  of  any  kind  shall  be  imposed  upon  any  portion  of  the  railway  not  in 

actual  operation  for  the  transportation  of  passengers  or  freight. 

The  capital  stock  of  the  corporation  may  be  increased  or  reduced  upon 

the  approval  of  the  Commissioners,  and  the  approval  of  two-thirds  in  amount  of 

all  the  stockholders. 

POWERS  OF  The  corporation  shall  have  the  right  to  acquire  such  real  estate  as  may  be 
necessary  for  stations,  depots,  engine  houses,  machine  shops,  etc.  In  case  the 
corporation  cannot  agree  with  the  owner  of  such  property  upon  the  terms,  it 
shall  have  the  right  to  acquire  title  in  the  manner  prescribed  by  the  condemna- 
tion law. 


CORPORA- 
TION 


PRESENT  RAPID   TRANSIT  LAIi-S 


The  corporation  shall  have  the  right  to  cross,  intersect,  join,  and  unite  its 
railway  with  any  other  railway  at  any  point  on  its  route  and  upon  the  grounds  of 
such  other  railway  company,  with  the  necessary  turnouts,  sidings,  switches  and 
other  conveniences  in  furtherance  of  the  objects  of  its  connections.  And  every 
corporation  whose  railway  shall  be  intersected  by  the  new  railway,  shall  unite 
with  the  new  railway  in  forming  such  intersections  and  connections ;  if  the  two 
corporations  cannot  agree  upon  the  amount  of  compensation  to  be  made  there- 
for, the  same  shall  be  determined  by  commissioners  to  be  appointed  by  the 
court,  in  the  manner  provided  in  the  act  in  respect  to  acquiring  title  to  real 
estate.  If  the  two  corporations  cannot  agree  upon  the  manner  of  such  cross- 
ings and  connections,  then  the  commissioners  shall  determine  the  same. 

The  corporation  shall  convey  persons  and  property  on  its  railway  by  the 
power  or  force  of  steam,  or  by  any  motor  other  than  animal  power.  If  may 
enter  upon  and  under  streets  and  avenues  and  public  places.  No  road  must 
cross  a  steam  railroad  at  grade. 

The  corporation  shall,  when  applied  to  by  the  Postmaster-General,  convey  MAILS  TC  BE 
the  mails  of  the  United  States  on  its  road ;  and  in  case  the  parties  cannot  agree  as  CARRIED 
to  the  rate  of  transportation  therefor,  and  as  to  the  time,  rate  of  speed,  man- 
ner and  conditions  of  carrying  the  same,  the  Governor  of  the  State  shall  appoint 
three  commissioners  who  shall  determine  the  prices,  terms  and  conditions.  This 
price  must  not  be  less  than  the  corporation  would  receive  as  freight  on  a  like 
weight  of  merchandise  transported  in  their  merchandise  trains,  and  a  fair  com- 
pensation for  the  post-ofifice  car.  If  the  Postmaster-General  shall  require  the 
mail  to  be  carried  at  other  hours,  or  at  a  higher  speed  than  the  passenger  trains 
are  run,  the  corporation  shall  furnish  an  extra  train  for  the  mail  and  be 
allowed  an  extra  compensation  for  the  service. 

The  Board  may  also  from  time  to  time  grant  a  franchise,  upon  applica-  FRANCHISE 

tion   of  any   railroad   corporation  owning  or  actually   operating  a   railroad  ^'^  ROADS 

wholly  or  in  part  within  the  limits  of  the  city,  or  of  any  railroad  corporation  built 

now  or  hereafter  incorporated,  for  the  purpose  of  constructing  and  operating  a 

tunnel  railroad  in  the  city,  to  be  connected  with  any  railroad  or  railroads  within 

the  State  of  New  York,  or  within  any  adjoining  State,  and  thereby  forming  a 

continuous  line  for  the  carriage  of  passengers  and  property  between  a  point  or 

points  within  and  a  point  or  points  without  the  city.    The  Board  may.  by  a 

,  .        ,  PRIVILEGES 

vote  of  SIX  of  its  members,  determme  the  route  or  routes  by  which  such  rail-  qf  existing 

road  corporation  may  connect  with  other  railroads,  or  the  stations  thereof,  or  ROADS 


259 


RAPID  TRANSIT 


with  ferries,  or  may  establish  or  extend  its  lines  within  the  city,  and  may  authorize 
such  corporation  to  lay  additional  tracks  on,  above,  under  or  contiguous  to  a 
portion  or  the  whole  of  the  route  of  its  railway  within  the  city,  or  to  acquire 
terminal  or  other  facilities  necessary  for  the  accommodation  of  the  traveling- 
public  on  any  street  or  place  except  Battery  Park. 
BOARD  TO  The  Board  shall  fix  the  location  and  plans  of  construction  of  such  rail- 
^^f'.I,^^'^^'^^  road  or  railroads,  the  times  within  which  they  shall  be  constructed,  the  com- 

KUUlho  AND 

PLANS  pensation  to  be  made  to  the  city,  and  such  other  terms  and  requirements  as  the 
Board  may  consider  just  and  proper.    But  every  such  determination,  authoriza- 
tion and  license  shall  be  made  upon  the  condition  that  the  railroad  corporation  to 
RENTAL  TO  ^^'^"^^^  ^'^^  grant  shall  be  made,  shall,  from  the  time  of  the  commencement  of 
BE  PAID  BY  the  operation  of  such  railway  annually  pay  to  the  city  a  sum  or  rental,  and  that 

CORPORA-  (-j^g  amount  of  such  rental,  for  a  period  of  not  more  than  twentv-five  years,  shall 
TION  '  f  .  J  ' 

be  prescribed  by  the  Board. 

READJUST-         Such  authorization  shall  provide  for  re-adjustment  of  the  amount  of  rental  at 
MENT  OF 

SERVICE         expiration  of  the  period  for  which  the  same  shall  be  prescribed,  and  for 

re-adjustment  from  time  to  time  in  the  future  of  the  amount  of  such  annual 

payment  at  intervals  each  of  not  more  than  twenty-five  years. 

PROPERTY         But  such  construction  and  operation  of  any  such  railroad  shall  only  be  upon 
OWNERS' 

CONSENT  condition  that  the  consent  of  the  owners  of  one-half  in  value  of  the  property 
bounded  on,  and  the  consent  also  of  the  local  authorities  having-  control  of  that 
portion  of  the  street  upon,  above,  or  under  which  it  is  proposed  to  construct  the 
road,  be  first  obtained.  In  case  the  consent  of  such  property  owners  cannot  be 
obtained,  the  Appellate  Division  of  the  Supreme  Court  in  the  department  in 
which  such  railroad  is  to  be  built,  may,  upon  application,  appoint  three  com- 
missioners who  shall  determine,  after  a  hearing  of  all  the  parties  interested, 
whether  the  road  ought  to  be  constructed  or  operated,  and  their  determination, 
confirmed  by  the  court,  may  be  taken  in  lieu  of  the  consent  of  the  property 
owners. 

DISPOSITION         Wherever  the  route  selected  by  the  Board  intersects,  crosses,  or  coincides 

OF  SEWERS,  -with  anv  tracks  occupying-  the  surface  of  any  street,  or  the  construction  inter- 
WATER  PIPES.    ,  '  .  ,  ,  ,  ,  . 

g-j-Q  feres  with  any  pipes,  sewers,  subways,  or  underground  conduits,  any  corpora- 
tion organized  under  the  act,  or  any  contractor  constructing  any  railway  under  a 
contract  made  with  the  Board,  is  authorized  to  remove  the  tracks  or  pipes,  etc.,  in 
such  manner  as  to  interfere  as  little  as  possible  with  the  operation  of  the  rail- 
road tracks,  or  the  usefulness  of  the  pipes  and  sewers.     All  these  must  be 


260 


PRESENT  RAPID  TRANSIT  LAWS 


replaced  as  soon  as  possible.  All  such  removals  and  restorations  shall  be  made  at 
the  cost  of  the  corporation  or  contractor  bnililing  the  road.  For  the  purpose  of 
facilitating  construction,  the  contractor  may,  with  the  approval  of  the  Board, 
lay  upon  or  over  the  surface  of  any  street,  temporary  tramways  to  be  used  only 
for  the  removal  of  excavated  material  or  the  transportation  of  material  for  use  in 
the  construction. 

Section  34  is  quoted  in  full,  since  it  is  that  under  which  the  present  sub- 
way is  being  constructed : 

"In  case  the  people  shall  determine  by  vote,  as  provided  in  sections  twelve  people  VOTE 
and  thirteen  of  chapter  seven  hundred  and  fifty-two  of  the  laws  of  eighteen-  ^'^^  ROAD 
hundred-and-ninety-four,  that  any  such  railway  or  railways  shall  be  constructed 
for  and  at  the  expense  of  the  city,  then  and  in  that  event  it  shall  be  the  duty  of 
said  Board  to  consider  the  routes,  plans  and  specifications,  if  any,  previously 
laid  out  and  adopted  by  them  or  their  predecessors,  and  for  which  the  consents 
have  been  obtained  referred  to  in  section  five  of  this  act ;  and  either  to  proceed 
with  the  construction  of  such  railway  or  railways,  and  provide  for  the  operation  of 
the  same,  as  hereinafter  provided,  or  to  change  and  modify  the  said  routes, 
plans,  or  specifications  in  such  particulars  as  to  said  Board  may  seem  to  be 
desirable ;  or,  from  time  to  time,  and  with  or  without  reference  to  former 
routes  or  plans,  to  adopt  other  or  dififerent  or  additional  routes,  plans  and 
specifications  for  such  railway  or  railways,  provided  always  that  in  all  cases  in 
which  any  such  change  or  modification  shall  be  of  such  character  as  to  require 
the  consents  thereto  referred  to  in  section  five  of  this  act ;  and  in  all  cases  where 
other  or  dififerent  routes  or  general  plans  may  have  been  so  adopted  the  said 
Board  shall  proceed  to  secure  the  consents  required  to  be  obtained  by  section 
five  of  this  act  as  therein  set  forth. 

"If  any  city  has  been  or  shall  have  been  formed  by  the  union  of  or  con-  CITIES 
solidation  of  one  or  more  cities  and  other  territory,  and  if  in  or  for  one  of  such  FORMED  BY 
cities  so  consolidated  or  united  there  shall  have  been  a  Board  of  Rapid  Transit  ^jqn^*^^"^'^ 
Railroad  Commissioners  as  provided  in  this  act,  the  board  of  rapid  transit  rail- 
road commissioners  for  the  said  city  formed  by  such  union  or  consolidation  shall 
have  for  and  within  such  city  so  formed  all  the  powers,  and  be  subject  to  all 
the  duties  and  responsibilities,  which  at  the  time  of  such  union  or  consolidation 
belonged  to  the  Board  of  Rapid  Transit  Railroad  Commissioners  of  the  former 
city  so  as  aforesaid  possessing  such  board  for  or  in  or  with  respect  to  such  former 

261 


RAPID  TRANSIT 


city.  If  in  such  former  city  the  vote  of  the  quahfied  electors  thereof  shall  have 
been  for  municipal  construction  of  rapid  transit  road  as  prescribed  in  sections 
twelve  and  thirteen  of  chapter  seven-hundred-and-fifty-two  of  the  laws  of 
eighteen-hundred-and-ninety-four,  then  the  system  of  municipal  construction  of 
rapid  transit  railways  provided  for  in  this  act  and  all  the  provisions  with  respect 
thereto  in  this  act  contained  shall  be  applicable  to,  and  in  full  force  within,  all 
the  districts  or  boroughs  and  throughout  the  entire  area  of  the  said  city  formed  by 
such  union  or  consolidation. 
NEW  ROUTES  "The  Board  of  Rapid  Transit  Railroad  Conmiissioners  for  any  city  shall,  prior 
^^..JI'^?  to  the  time  of  the  final  grant  of  anv  franchise  imder  the  provisions  of  this  act,  or 

GENERAL  _ 

PLANS  the  making  of  a  contract  for  construction  and  operation  of  any  railroad  under 
the  provisions  of  this  act,  have  power  to  rescind  and  revoke  any  resolution  or 
resolutions  of  such  board  adopting  any  routes  or  general  plan  for  a  rapid  transit 
railroad  adoptefl  by  such  Board,  and,  in  the  discretion  of  such  Board  and  in  lieu 
thereof,  to  adopt  new  routes  and  general  plan.  Every  such  rescindment  or 
revocation  which  shall  have  been  heretofore  made  shall  be  deemed  to  have  been 
lawful  and  authorized  by  this  act  as  the  same  was  prior  to  the  present  amend- 
ment hereof. 

CONTRACT         "As  soon  as  such  consents,  where  necessary,  shall  have  been  obtained  for 

anv  rapid  transit  railroad  or  railroads,  and  the  detailed  plans  and  specifications 
BUILDING       •  ....  . 

ROAD  have  been  prepared  as  provided  in  section  six  of  this  act,  the  said  Board, 

for  and  in  behalf  of  the  said  city,  shall  enter  into  a  contract  with  any  person, 
firm,  or  corporation,  which  in  the  opinion  of  said  Board  shall  be  best  qualified  to 
fulfill  and  carry  out  said  contract,  for  the  construction  of  such  road  or  roads,, 
including  such  galleries,  ways,  subways,  and  tunnels  for  sub-surface  structures  as 
said  Board  may  include  in  the  plans  for  such  road  or  roads  under  the  authority  of 
section  six  of  this  act,  such  road  or  roads,  galleries,  ways,  subways  or  tunnels  tO' 
be  constructed  upon  the  routes  and  in  accordance  with  the  plans  and  specifica- 
tions so  adopted,  for  such  sum  or  sums  of  money,  to  be  raised  and  paid  out  of 
the  treasury  of  said  city,  as  hereinafter  provided,  and  on  such  terms  and  con- 
ditions, not  inconsistent  with  the  aforesaid  plans  and  specifications,  as  said  Board 
shall  determine  to  be  best  for  the  public  interests.  The  sum  or  sums  of  money  to- 
be  paid  for  the  construction  of  such  road  or  roads  shall  be  separately  stated  in 
the  contract  from  the  sum  or  sums  to  be  paid  for  any  galleries,  ways,  subways,  or 
tunnels  for  sub-surface  structures,  the  construction  of  which  is  provided  for  in 
such  contract.    And  said  Board  may  in  any  case  contract  for  the  construction  of 


262 


PRESENT  R.l/'l/>  TRANSIT  LAIFS 


the  whole  road,  or  all  the  roads  provided  for  by  the  aforesaid  plans  in  a  single  WORK 
contract,  or  may  by  separate  contracts,  executed  from  time  to  time,  provide  for  '^'V'^EID 
the  construction  of  parts  of  said  road  or  roads,  or  for  the  construction  at  first  of 
two  or  more  tracks  over  a  part  or  parts  of  such  road  or  roads  and  afterwards  of 
one  or  more  additional  tracks  over  a  part  or  parts  of  such  road  or  roads  as  the 
necessities  of  said  city  and  the  increase  of  its  population  may  in  the  judgment  of 
said  Board  require. 

"The  Board  may  also,  in  a  contract  for  a  part  of  any  such  rapid  transit  AMOUNT  TO 

railroad,  insert  a  provision  that,  at  a  future  time,  upon  the  requirement  of  the  PAID 

^  .  .  FOR  FUTURE 

Board,  the  contractor  shall  construct  the  remainder  or  any  part  of  the  remainder  of  cONSTRUC- 

said  road,  as  the  growth  of  population  or  the  interests  of  the  city  may,  in  the  TION 
judgment  of  the  Board,  require,  and  may,  in  such  contract,  insert  a  provision  of  a 
method  for  fixing  and  ascertaining  at  such  future  time  the  amount  to  be  paid  to 
the  contractor  for  such  additional  construction,  and  to  the  end  of  such  ascer- 
tainment, may  provide  for  arbitration  or  for  the  determination  by  a  court  of 
the  amount  of  such  compensation,  or  of  any  other  details  of  construction  which 
shall  not  be  prescribed  in  the  contract,  but  which  shall  be  deemed  necessary  or 
convenient  by  the  Board. 

"Any  such  contract  may  provide,  if  the  public  interest  shall,  in  the  opinion  of  WORK  MAY 

the  Board,  justifv  the  provision,  that  the  construction  of  any  section  or  portion  of 

,      '  .  SUSPENDED 

the  railroad  included  in  such  contract  may,  with  the  consent  of  the  Board,  be 

suspended  during  the  term  of  operation  of  the  railroad  as  hereinafter  men- 
tioned, or  any  part  of  such  term  ;  provided,  that  during  such  term  or  part  of 
term  the  lessee  or  contractor  shall  use,  in  lieu  of  such  portion  of  the  road,  a  rail- 
road owned  or  leased  by  the  lessee  or  contractor  or  a  portion  or  section  thereof, 
which  shall,  with  the  railroad  or  portion  of  railroad  constructed  by  it  under  its 
contract  with  the  Jioard,  form  a  continuous  and  convenient  route. 

"Every  such  contract  shall  also  provide  that  the  persons,  firm,  or  corpora-  ALL  LEASES 

TO  FXPIRP 

tion  so  contractmg  to  construct  said  road,  or  roads,  shall,  at  his,  or  its  own  cost 

.      .  .  AT  SAME 

and  expense,  equip,  maintain  and  operate  said  road  or  roads  for  a  term  of  TIME 

years  to  be  specified  in  said  contract,  not  more  than  fifty  years,  and  upon  such 
terms  and  conditions  as  to  the  rates  or  fare  to  be  charged  and  the  character  of 
service  to  be  furnished  and  otherwise,  as  said  Board  shall  deem  to  be  best  suited  to 
the  public  interests,  and  subject  to  such  public  supervision  and  to  such  condi- 
tions, regulations  and  requirements  as  may  be  determined  upon  by  said  Board  ; 
provided,  that  the  right  to  use  or  operate  any  galleries,  ways,  subways  or  tun- 

263 


RAPID  TRANSIT 


nels  for  sub-surface  structures,  which  are  required  to  be  constructed  under  said 
contract,  shall  not  pass  under  the  operating  provisions  of  said  contract ;  and 
further  provided  that  in  case  the  contract  shall  provide  for  construction  at  dif- 
ferent times  or  at  intervals  of  time  of  different  parts  of  a  road,  or  if  the  con- 
tract shall  provide  for  the  use  by  the  contractor  of  an  existing  railroad  as  part  of 
continuous  route  as  aforesaid,  then  and  in  any  such  case  the  Board  of  Rapid 
Transit  Railroad  Commissioners  may,  in  its  discretion,  prescribe  periods  for  the 
operation  of  the  different  parts  of  said  road  so  that  at  one  period  of  time  in  the 
future  the  Board  may  be  enabled  to  make  a  single  operating  contract  or  lease  of 
the  entire  road. 

PROTECTION  "Every  such  contract  shall  further  provide  by  proper  stipulations  and  cove- 
BY  CITY  nants  on  the  part  of  the  said  city,  that  the  said  city  shall  secure  and  assure  to 
the  contractor,  so  long  as  the  contractor  shall  perform  the  stipulations  of  the 
contract,  the  right  to  construct  and  to  operate  the  road  as  prescribed  in  the  con- 
tract, free  of  all  right,  claim  or  other  interference,  whether  by  injunction,  suit 
for  damages  or  otherwise,  on  the  part  of  the  owner,  abutting  owner,  or  other 
person. 

PAYMENT  "Every  such  contract  shall  further  provide  that  the  person,  firm  or  cor- 
REQUlRED  OF  poration  so  contracting  to  construct,  maintain  and  operate  said  road  shall  annually 
CORPORA^  pay  into  the  treasury  of  said  city,  as  rental  for  the  use  of  said  road,  a  sum  which 
shall  not,  except  as  hereinafter  provided,  be  less  than  the  annual  interest  upon 
the  bonds  to  be  issued  by  said  city  for  the  construction  of  said  road  as  herein- 
after provided  for,  and  in  addition  to  said  interest,  a  further  sum  which  shall  be 
equal  to  a  percentage  of  not  less  than  one  per  centum  upon  the  whole  amount  of 
said  bonds ;  provided,  that  in  estimating  such  annual  interest  and  additional 
percentage  there  shall  be  deducted  from  the  amount  of  said  bonds  the  amount 
thereof  issued  to  pay  for  rights,  terms,  easements,  privileges  or  property  other 
than  lands  acquired  in  fee,  and  also  the  amount  thereof  issued  to  pay  for  the 
construction  of  galleries,  ways,  subways  and  tunnels  for  sub-surface  structures. 
TIMES  OF  "And  provided,  further,  that  the  said  contract  may,  in  the  discretion  of  the 
said  Board,  provide  that  the  payment  of  the  said  further  sum  of  not  less  than 
one  per  centum  upon  the  amount  of  said  bonds  as  aforesaid,  shall  begin  at  a 
date  not  more  than  five  years  after  the  date  at  which  the  payment  of  rental  shall 
begin,  and  that  the  said  annual  rate,  instead  of  one  per  centum,  may  be  a  rate 
not  less  than  one-half  per  centum  for  a  further  period  not  exceeding  five  years ; 
but  in  case  the  contractor  shall,  during  any  year  in  which  the  said  payment  of 


PAYMENT 


264 


PRESENT  RAl'lD  TRANSIT  LAWS 


one  per  centum  shall  be  suspended  or  reduced  as  aforesaid,  earn  a  greater  profit 
upon  his,  its,  or  their  net  capital  invested  in  the  enterprise  than  five  per  centum, 
then  the  surplus  of  his,  its,  or  their  earnings  for  such  year  up  to  tlie  extent  of  at 
least  one  per  centum  shall  be  paid  as  rental  as  aforesaid. 

"Such  rental  and  the  term  for  the  operation  of  the  railroad  included  in  any 
such  contract  shall  begin,  as  to  said  road,  or  any  section  thereof,  when  the 
same  shall  be  declared  by  the  Board  of  Rapid  Transit  Railroad  Commis- 
sioners to  be  completed  anil  ready  for  operation. 

"For  the  purpose  of  estimating  such  one  per  centum  ])er  annum  upon  the  METHOD  OF 

'tl^certainment  of  the  amount  of  such  rental,  there  shall  be  included  such  portion  of  ^,^,^,t,^,^ 

'  ^  PAYMENT 

the  said  bonds  as  shall  have  been  issued  to  pay  interest  on  bonds  theretofore 
issued  under  the  provisions  of  this  act,  except  bonds  issued  to  pay  for  rights, 
terms,  easements,  privileges,  or  property  other  than  lands  acquired  in  fee.  ■  The 
aforesaid  annual  rental  shall  be  paid  at  such  times  during  each  year  as  said 
Board  shall  require,  and  shall  be  applied  first  to  the  payment  of  the  interest  on 
said  bonds,  as  the  same  shall  accrue  and  fall  due,  and  the  remainder  of  said 
rental  not  required  for  the  payment  of  said  interest  shall  be  paid  into  the  sink-  rental  TO 

ing  fund,  for  the  payment  of  the  city  debt,  if  there  shall  be  such  sinking  fund  in  PAY 

.  ,     •  ■  ■    .         ,  ,  ■  ,  1    ,  r       •  ,  1     ,    ,,  INTEREST  O 

said  city,  or,  it  there  be  none  such,  then  said  balance  of  said  rental  shall  be  3QISJ133  ^j^q 

securely  invested,  and,  with  the  annual  accretions  of  interest  thereon,  shall  con-  SINKING 

stitute  a  sinking  fund  for  the  payment  and  redemption  at  maturity  of  the  bonds  ^^^^ 

issued,  as  hereinafter  provided. 

"Any  such  contract  may  also  provide  for  a  renewal  or  renewals  of  the  RENEWAL 

OF  LEASE 

lease  of  said  road  upon  the  expiration  of  the  original  term  and  of  any  renewals  of 
the  same,  upon  such  terms  and  conditions  as  to  said  Board  may  seem  just  and 
proper,  and  may  also  contain  provisions  for  the  valuation  of  the  whole  or  a  part  of 
the  property  of  said  contracting  person,  firm  or  corporation,  employed  in  and 
about  the  equipment,  maintenance  and  operation  of  said  road,  and  for  the  pur- 
chase of  the  same  by  the  city,  at  such  valuation,  or  a  percentage  of  the  same, 
should  said  lease  not  be  renewed  at  any  tim»e. 

"Any  such  contract  may  provide  for  the  construction  of  said  road  in  sec- 
tions, and,  except  as  herein  otherwise  provided,  every  such  contract  shall  specify 
when  the  construction  of  the  railroad  included  therein  or  of  the  several  sec- 
tions of  the  same  shall  be  commenced,  and,  in  each  case,  the  date  of  completion. 
It  shall  also  state  the  date  on  which  the  operation  of  the  road,  or  any  section 
thereof,  shall  commence. 

265 


RAPID  TRANSIT 


BOND  OF         "The  person,  firm  or  corporation  so  contracting  for  the  construction,  equip- 
CORPORA-  ^         .  ,  .         ,    ,  Ml 

^iQj^  ment,  maintenance  and  operation  of  the  railroad  or  railroads  included  in  any 

such  contract  shall  give  a  bond  to  the  city,  in  such  amount  as  said  Board  of  Rapid 
Transit  Railroad  Commissioners  shall  require,  and  with  sureties  to  be  approved  by 
said  Board,  who  shall  justify  each  in  double  the  amount  of  his  liability  upon  said 
bond.  Said  bond  shall  be  a  continuing  security,  and  shall  ])rovide  for  the  prompt 
payment  by  said  contracting  person,  firm  or  corporation,  of  the  amount  of  annual 
rental  specified  in  the  aforesaid  contract,  and  also  for  the  faithful  performance  by 
said  contracting-  person  or  corporation  of  all  the  conditions,  covenants  and 
requirements  specified  and  provided  for  in  said  contract.  In  lieu  of  said  con- 
tinuing bond  such  contracting  person,  firm  or  corporation  may,  upon  the 
approval  of  the  said  Board,  deposit  with  the  comptroller  or  other  chief  financial 
officer  of  such  city  cash  equal  in  amount  to  the  entire  amount  of  the  said 
bond  or  securities  which  are  lawful  for  the  investment  of  the  funds  of  savings 
banks  within  this  state  and  are  worth  not  less  than  the  entire  amount  of  such 
bond.  If  such  bond  shall  have  been  given  after  the  deposit  of  cash  and  securi- 
ties in  lieu  thereof  as  aforesaid,  and  the  approval  thereof  by  the  said  Board,  the 
said  bond  shall  be  surrendered  by  the  said  city  to  the  said  contracting  person, 
firm  or  corporation  duly  cancelled  by  the  Comptroller  or  other  chief  financial 
officer  of  the  said  city.  In  the  event  of  the  deposit  of  cash  or  securities  as  afore- 
said, the  contract  may  provide  for  the  payment  to  the  contractor  of  the  income  of 
such  securities  or  of  interest  upon  such  moneys  at  a  rate  not  higher  than  the 
highest  rate  received  by  the  city  upon  the  deposit  of  its  funds  with  banks,  and 
may  also  provide  for  withdrawal  of  securities  so  deposited  upon  deposit  of 
cash  or  securities  of  the  same  value,  provided  that  all  such  securities  shall  be 
such  as  are  lawful  for  the  investment  of  the  funds  of  savings  banks. 

SECURITY  "The  said  contracting  person,  firm  or  corporation  shall  also  simultaneously 
REQUIRED  OF      .  ,     ,  .  ,    ,  ,  , 

CORPORA-  ^^'^1''  '^"^  execution  and  delivery  of  every  such  contract,  deposit  with  the  Comp- 

TION  troller  or  other  chief  financial  officer  of  such  city  the  sum  of  one  million  dol- 
lars in  cash  or  in  securities  of  a  value  not  less  than  one  million  dollars,  which 
securities  shall  be  of  the  character  of  those  in  which  the  savings  banks  of  this 
state  are  authorized  by  law  to  invest  moneys,  and  shall  be  approved  by  the 
Board  of  Rapid  Transit  Railroad  Commissioners,  which  cash  or  securities  shall, 
under  such  terms  and  conditions  as  shall  be  provided  in  the  said  contract,  be 
further  securitv  for  the  faithful  performance  by  such  contracting  person,  firm  or 
corporation  of  all  the  covenants,  conditions  and  requirements  specified  and  pro- 


266 


PRliSr:XT  RAPID  TRASSIT  LAWS 


vitled  for  in  said  contract  relating  to  the  construction  and  equipment  of  said 
road.  If  in  any  case  the  cost  of  construction  embraced  in  a  contract  is  esti- 
mated by  the  said  I'>oard  of  Rapid  Transit  Raih-oad  Commissioners  at  tlie  sum  of 
ten  million  dollars  or  less,  the  contract  may  in  the  discretion  of  the  said  ijoard 
fix  the  amount  of  such  deposit  at  such  a  sum  less  than  one  million  dollars  as 
the  said  board  may  determine,  but  in  no  case  shall  such  deposit  be  less  than  ten 
per  cent,  of  the  contract  price  of  such  construction.  The  city  in  and  for  which 
said  road  shall  be  constructed  shall  also  have  a  first  lien  u]X)n  the  rolling  stock  CITY  TO  HAVE 
and  other  property  of  said  contracting  person,  firm  or  corporation,  constituting  ^'^^j^  LIEN 
the  equipment  of  said  road  and  used  or  intended  for  use  in  the  maintenance  and  PROPERTY 
operation  of  the  same,  as  further  security  for  the  faithful  performance  by  such 
contracting  person,  firm  or  corporation  of  the  covenant,  conditions  and  agree- 
ments of  said  contract,  on  his,  their  or  its  part  to  be  fulfilled  and  performed, 
and  in  case  of  the  breach  of  any  such  covenant,  condition  and  agreement  said 
lien  shall  be  subject  to  foreclosure  by  action,  at  the  suit  of  such  city,  in  the 
same  manner,  as  far  as  may  be,  as  is  then  provided  by  law  in  the  case  of  fore- 
closure by  action  of  mortgages  on  real  estate.  The  said  Board  of  Rapid  Transit 
Railroad  Commissioners  may,  however,  from  time  to  time,  by  a  concurrent 
vote  of  six  of  the  members  of  said  Board,  relieve  from  such  lien,  any  property  to 
which  the  same  may  attach,  upon  receiving  additional  security,  which  may  be 
deemed  by  said  board  so  voting  to  be  the  equivalent  of  that  which  it  is  pro- 
posed to  release  and  otherwise  upon  such  terms  as  to  such  Board  so  voting  shall 
seem  just.  The  said  Board  ma\-  in  or  by  any  such  contract  and  in  its  discretion, 
require,  and  this  act,  as  the  same  was  prior  to  the  present  amendment  thereof, 
shall  be  deemed  to  have  authorized  the  said  Board  to  have  heretofore  required 
any  other  security  upon  any  such  contract. 

"Upon  the  completion  of  the  construction  and  equipment  of  the  railroad  or  DEPOSIT 

TO  BE 

railroads  provided  in  any  such  contract  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  said  Board,  and  ^gjuRNED 
when  the  operation  of  the  same  shall  have  commenced  pursuant  to  said  con-  UPON 
tract,  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Comptroller  or  other  chief  financial  ol^icer  to 
pay  to  the  said  contracting  person,  firm  or  corporation  said  sum  in  cash  or  the 
said  securities  so  to  be  deposited  as  above  provided  as  security  for  construction 
and  equipment,  and  the  said  contracting  person,  firm  or  corporation  shall  also  be 
then  entitled  to  be  credited  upon  the  rental  which  he,  they  or  it  shall  have  con- 
tracted to  pay  to  said  city  for  the  use  of  said  road  a  sum  which  shall  be  equal,  as 
the  case  may  be,  either  to  the  interest  on  the  sum  so  to  be  deposited  for  the 


COMPLETION 
OF  ROAD 


267 


RAPID  TRANSIT 

time  of  such  deposit  at  the  rate  of  interest  provided  for  in  the  bonds  which  shall 

have  been  issued  and  sold  by  the  city  to  provide  for  the  construction  of  said 

road,  or  the  interest,  dividends  or  other  income  which  said  city  shall  have 

received  from  the  said  securities. 

IN  CASE  OF         "The  said  contract  shall  further  provide  that  in  case  of  default  in  paying 

boar'd''m'ay        annual  sum  or  rental  therein  provided  for,  or  in  case  of  failure  or  neglect  on 

TAKE  POSSES-  the  part  of  said  contracting  person,  firm  or  corporation,  faithfully  to  observe, 

SION  AND  j^eep  jjj^d  fulfill  the  conditions,  obligations  and  requirements  of  said  contract,  the 
■    OPERATE       ...  . 

ROAD  ^^^^  ^^^y'  Board  of  Rapid  Transit  Railroad  Commissioners,  may  take  pos- 

session of  said  road  and  the  equipment  thereof,  and  as  the  agent  of  said  con- 
tracting person,  firm  or  corporation,  either  maintain  and  operate  said  road,  or 
enter  into  a  contract  with  some  other  person,  firm  or  corporation  for  the  main- 
tenance and  operation  thereof,  retaining  out  of  the  proceeds  of  such  operation, 
after  the  payment  of  the  necessary  expenses  of  operation  and  maintenance,  the 
annual  rental  hereinbefore  referred  to,  and  paying  over  the  balance,  if  any,  to 
the  person,  firm  or  corporation  with  whom  the  first  contract  above  mentioned 
was  made,  and  if  such  proceeds  of  the  operation  of  said  road,  after  the  pay- 
ment of  the  necessary  expenses  of  maintenance  and  operation,  including  the 
keeping  in  repairs  of  the  rolling  stock  and  other  equipment,  shall  in  any  year  be 
less  than  the  annual  rental  hereinbefore  referred  to  and  provided  in  the  first  con- 
tract, then,  and  ill  that  case,  the'  said  contracting  person,  firm  or  corporation, 
and  his  or  its  bondsmen,  shall  be  and  continue  (but  in  the  case  of  any  bond 
hereafter  executed  each  bondsman  only  to  the  extent  of  the  liability  expressly 
assumed  by  him  upon  the  bond)  jointly  and  severally  liable  to  the  aforesaid  city 
for  the  amount  of  such  deficiency,  until  the  end  of  the  full  term  for  which  the 
said  first  contract  was  originally  made. 
BOARD  MAY  "No  contract  entered  into  under  authority  of  this  act  shall  be  assigned  with- 
ASSIGN  ^j^^  written  consent  of  the  said  Board  of  Rapid  Transit  Railroad  Commis- 
sioners, concurred  in  by  six  members  of  said  Board.  The  said  contracting  per- 
son, firm  or  corporation,  with  such  written  consent  and  upon  such  terms  and 
conditions  as  the  said  Board  shall  prescribe,  may  either  assign  the  whole  of  such 
contract  or  separately  the  right  or  obligation  to  maintain  and  operate  the  said 
road  or  roads  for  the  remainder  of  the  term  of  years  specified  in  such  contract 
and  all  rights  with  respect  to  such  maintenance  and  operation,  or  included  in 
the  leasing  provisions  of  such  contract,  but  subject  to  all  the  terms  and  condi- 
tions therein  stated ;  provided,  however,  that  the  assignee  or  assignees  shall,  in 


PRIVILEGE 


268 


PRESENT  RAl'lD  TRANSIT  LAWS 


and  by  such  assignment,  assume  all  of  the  obligations  of  the  original  contractor, 
under  or  with  respect  to  such  leasing  provisions  and  all  obligations  which 
relate  in  any  way  to  such  operation  and  maintenance,  and  provided,  further,  said 
Board  before  giving  its  consent  shall  be  satisfied  that  the  pecuniary  responsi-  PROVISIONS 
bility  of  the  assignee  or  assignees  shall  be  no  less  than  that  of  such  original  LEASE 
contractor;  and  provided,  further,  that  all  of  the  security  or  securities  which 
the  city  shall  have  received  for  the  performance  by  the  original  contractor  of 
such  leasing  provisions  and  of  all  provisions  of  the  contract  with  respect  to  such 
operation  and  maintenance  shall  continue  in  full  force  as  provided  in  such  con- 
tract, or  any  modification  thereof,  as  security  for  the  performance  by  such 
assignee  of  all  obligations  of  the  contractor  under  or  with  respect  to  such  leas- 
ing provisions  and  such  maintenance  or  operation. 

"It  shall  be  deemed  to  be  part  of  every  such  contract  that,  in  case  the  SUCCESSORS 
Board  of  Rapid  Transit  Railroad  Commissioners  shall  cease  to  exist,  the  legis-  '^^  BOARD 
lature  may  provide  what  public  officer  or  officers  of  the  city  shall  exercise  the 
powers  and  duties  belonging  to  the  Board  of  Rapid  Transit  Railroad  Commis- 
sioners under  or  by  virtue  of  any  such  contract,  and  that  in  default  of  such 
provision,  such  powers  and  duties  shall  be  deemed  to  be  vested  in  the  Mayor  of 
the  city. 

"Every  such  contract  shall  provide  that  if  the  contracting  person,  firm  or  duties  OF 

corporation  shall  fail  to  construct  or  operate  the  railway  according  to  the  BOARD  in 

case  of 

terms  of  the  contract,  and  shall,  after  due  notice  of  its  default,  omit  for  more  DEFAULT 
than  a  reasonable  time  to  comply  with  the  provisions  of  such  contract,  the 
Board  of  Rapid  Transit  Railroad  Commissioners  may  brmg  an  action  in  the 
name  and  in  behalf  of  the  city  to  forfeit  and  vacate  all  the  rights  of  such  con- 
tracting person,  firm  or  corporation  under  such  contract,  and  for  damages  and 
otherwise  as  may  be  necessary  for  the  sufficient  and  just  protection  of  the 
rights  of  the  city ;  or  may,  upon  such  terms  as  to  the  Board  of  Rapid  Transit 
Railroad  Commissioners  seem  just,  and  with  such  person  or  corporation  as  to  the 
said  board  may  seem  proper,  make  another  operating  contract  and  lease  of  the 
said  road  for  the  residue  of  the  term  of  the  contractor  in  default ;  and  may  bring 
action  in  the  name  and  on  behalf  of  the  city  to  recover  from  the  contractor  the 
amount  due  from  the  contractor,  less  the  amount  which  shall  have  been 
received  by  the  city,  under  or  by  virtue  of  such  new  contract,  and  for  all  other 
damages  sustained  by  the  city  by  reason  of  such  default. 

"The  said  Board  may  by  any  such  contract  determine  when  and  how  the 


269 


RAPID  TRANSIT 


work  of  construction  of  the  rapid  transit  railroad  or  railroads  included  therein 
shall  proceed. 

PRIVILEGE  OF  "Any  existing  railway  corporation  owning  or  actually  operating  a  railway 

,,,^rs!^'^^^^  wholly  or  in  part  within  the  limits  of  the  city  in  and  for  which  said  Board  has 

WHOLLY  OR. 

PARTLY  power  to  act,  and  approved  by  the  said  Board  of  Rapid  Transit  Railroad  Com- 

WITHlN  CITY  missioners,  shall  be  competent  and  is  hereby  authorized  to  enter  into  any  con- 
LIMITS  .       ,  .  ,  . 

tract  for  the  construction  and  operation  of  any  railway  pursuant  to  the  provi- 
sions of  this  chapter ;  or,  after  such  a  contract  shall  have  been  made,  shall  be 
competent  and  is  hereby  authorized,  with  the  approval  of  said  Board,  to  con- 
tract with  the  original  contractor  or  his  assignee  or  assignees  for  the  mainte- 
nance and  operation  (including  the  equipment  thereof)  of  any  railway  con- 
structed or  in  process  of  construction  pursuant  to  the  provisions  of  this  chapter, 
and  shall  have  all  the  powers  necessary  to  the  due  performance  of  such 
contract. 

RIGHTS  OF         "A  corporation  may  be  organized  under  the  railroad  law  of  this  state,  for 

'^'^'^^^1^'^  the  purpose  of  undertaking  the  construction  and  operation  of  a  railway  pur- 

ORGANiZED  suant  to  the  provisions  of  this  act,  or  for  the  purpose  of  maintaining  and  operat- 

UNDER  RAIL-  ing  a  railway   (including  the  equipment  thereof)   already  constructed  or  in 
ROAD  LAW  ,  .  ,  r      ,  , 

process  of  construction  pursuant  to  the  provisions  of  this  chapter,  or  for  both 

such  purposes;  and  any  corporation  so  organized,  upon  the  approval  in  writ- 
ing of  the  said  Board  of  Rapid  Transit  Railroad  Commissioners,  shall,  in  addi- 
tion to  the  powers  conferred  by  the  general  act  under  which  such  company  is 
organized,  be  empowered,  and  is  hereby  authorized  to  enter  into  any  contract 
permitted  by  law  for  the  construction  and  operation,  or  for  the  maintenance 
and  operation  when  constructed  (including  the  equipment  thereof  if  desired),  as 
the  case  may  be,  of  any  such  raihvay  constructed  or  to  be  constructed  at  the 
expense  of  the  city  as  in  this  act  provided.  The  certificate  of  such  approval 
shall  be  filed  in  the  office  of  the  Secretary  of  State  and  a  copy  thereof  certified  to 
be  a  true  cop\-  by  the  Secretary  of  State  or  his  deputy  shall  be  evidence  of  the 
fact  therein  stated. 

"A  corporation  so  organized  shall  not  be  required  to  procure  the  consent  of 
the  Board  of  Railroad  Commissioners  of  the  State  as  provided  for  in  section 
fifty-nine  of  the  railroad  law.  Where  in  this  section  the  consents  referred  to  in 
section  five  of  this  act  are  mentioned,  they  shall  be  construed  to  include  any  con- 
sent given  by  the  commissioners  appointed  by  the  General  Term  or  Appellate 
Division  of  the  Supreme  Court,  and  confirmed  by  the  said  General  Term  or 

270 


PRIlSliNT  RAl'lD  TRANSIT  LAW  S 


Appellate  Division  in  lieu  of  the  consent  of  property  owners  as  hereinbefore 
provided." 

The  equipment  to  be  supplied  by  the  corporation  shall  include  all  rollint^  EQUIPMENT 
stock,  boilers,  engines,  wires,  conduits,  machinery,  tools,  and  appliances  of  every 
nature  used  for  the  generation  or  transmission  of  power,  and  including  all  power- 
houses, and  all  apparatus  for  signaling  and  ventilation. 

Before  awarding  any  contract  the  Board  shall  advertise  for  proposals  for 
three  successive  weeks,  and  shall  publicly  open  all  proposals. 

For  the  purpose  of  providing  the  necessary  means  for  such  construction,  at  BONDS  TO  BE 
the  public  expense,  "and  of  meeting  the  interest  on  the  bonds,  ni  this  section 
hereinafter  provided  for,  accruing  thereon  prior  to  the  completion  and  readiness 
for  operation  of  the  portion  of  such  road  or  roads  for  the  construction  of  which 
such  bonds  shall  have  been  respectively  issued,  the  Board  of  Estimate  and 
Apportionment,  or  other  local  authority  in  said  city,  in  which  such  road  or  roads 
are  to  be  constructed,  having  power  to  make  appropriations  of  moneys  to  be 
raised  by  taxation  therein,  from  time  to  time,  and  as  the  same  shall  be  neces- 
sary, and  upon  the  requisition  of  said  Board  of  Rapid  Transit  Railroad  Com- 
missioners, shall  direct  the  Comptroller,  or  other  chief  financial  officer  of  said 
city,  and  it  shall  become  his  duty  to  issue  the  bonds  of  said  city  at  such  a  rate  of 
interest,  not  exceeding  three  and  one-half  per  centum  per  annum,  as  said 
Board  of  Estimate  and  Apportionment,  or  other  local  authority  directing  the 
issue  of  such  bonds,  may  prescribe. 

"Said  bonds  shall  provide  for  the  payment  of  the  principal  and  interest  in 
gold  coin  of  the  United  States  of  America.  They  shall  not  be  sold  for  less  than 
the  par  value  thereof ;  and  the  proceeds  of  the  same  shall  be  paid  out  and 
.expended  for  the  purpose  for  which  the  same  are  issued,  upon  vouchers  cer- 
tified by  said  Board  of  Rapid  Transit  Railroad  Commissioners. 

"Said  bonds  shall  be  free  from  all  taxation  for  city  and  county  purposes,  BONDS 
and  shall  be  payable  at  maturity  out  of  the  sinking  fund  for  the  payment  of  the 
city  debt,  if  there  be  such  a  sinking  fund  of  said  city ;  but  if  there  be  no  such 
sinking  fund,  then  out  of  a  sinking  fund  to  be  established  and  created  out  of  the 
annual  rentals  of  said  road  as  hereinbefore  provided.  But  this  provision  that 
the  said  bonds  shall  be  payable  out  of  such  a  sinking  fund  shall  not  diminish  or 
afifect  the  obligation  of  said  city  as  a  debtor  upon  said  bonds,  or  any  other 
right  or  remedy  of  any  holder  or  owner  of  any  such  bonds,  to  collect  the  prin- 


271 


RAPID  TRANSIT 


cipal  or  interest  thereof.  The  amount  of  bonds  authorized  to  be  issued  and 
sold  by  this  section  shall  not  exceed  the  limit  of  amount  which  shall  be  pre- 
scribed by  the  Board  of  Estimate  and  Apportionment  or  such  other  local  authority 
having  power  to  make  appropriations  of  moneys  to  be  raised  by  taxation ;  and  no 
contract  for  tlie  construction  of  such  road  or  roads  shall  be  made  unless  and 
until  such  Board  of  Estimate  and  Apportionment  or  such  other  local  authority 
shall  have  consented  thereto  and  prescribed  a  limit  to  the  amount  of  bonds 
available  for  the  purposes  of  this  section  which  shall  be  sufficient  to  meet  the 
requirements  of  such  contract  in  addition  to  all  obligations  theretofore  incurred 
and  to  be  satisfied  from  such  bonds." 

Changes  may  be  made  in  the  contract,  or  the  plans,  with  the  consent  of  six 
members  of  the  Board ;  but  in  no  case  shall  the  annual  rental  to  be  paid  to  the 
city  be  reduced  below  the  inininnim  rate  provided. 
BRIDGES  The  board  of  directors  of  any  company  incorporated  for  the  purpose  of 
building  a  bridge,  or  bridges,  connecting  a  city  of  more  than  one  million  inhabi- 
tants with  any  other  city  in  the  State,  and  to  construct  an  approach  thereto 
extending  generally  in  an  easterly  and  westerly  direction,  may  in  lieu  of  con- 
structing such  approach,  build  and  operate  an  elevated  railway,  the  route  of 
which  shall  be  coincident  with  the  approach  or  approaches.  "The  entire  route  of 
any  elevated  railway,  constructed'  under  the  provisions  of  this  section,  shall  not 
exceed  three  miles  in  length,  nor  shall  any  part  of  said  railway,  except  at  the 
termini  thereof,  be  less  than  sixteen  feet  above  any  street,  avenue  or  public 
place,  or  less  than  fourteen  feet  above  any  existing  elevated  railway  which  may  be 
cicssed,  intervened,  or  intersected  thereby." 

The  Board  may  acquire  any  necessary  real  estate  by  condemnation  or  other 
legal  proceedings. 

When  the  contractor  shall  require  any  property  for  th,e  construction  and 
operation  of  the  road,  such  property  shall  be  deemed  to  be  required  for  a  public 
purpose  :  and,  with  the  approval  of  the  Board,  may  be  acquired  by  the  contractor  in 
all  respects  as  such  property  may  be  acquired  by  the  Board.  Such  property 
acquired  by  the  Board,  when  no  longer  necessary  for  rapid  transit  purposes, 
shall  be  sold,  with  the  approval  of  the  Commissioners  of  the  Sinking  Fund. 

Sections  40  to  62,  both  inclusive,  contain  provisions  for  the  acquisition  of 
real  estate. 


272 


PRESENT  RAPID  TRANSIT  LAWS 


In  case  it  shall  be  determined  by  vote  of  the  people  to  construct  the  road  at  ROAD  PART 

O  F  ST  R  E  ETS 

the  city's  expense,  then  the  road  shall  be  the  absolute  property  of  the  city,  and 

shall  be  deemed  to  be  part  of  the  public  streets  and  highways,  to  be  used  and  HIGHWAYS 

enjoyed  by  the  public  upon  the  payment  of  such  fares  and  tolls,  and  subject  to 

such  reasonable  rules  and  regulations,  as  may  be  imposed  and  provided  by  the 

Board  of  Rapid  Transit  Railroad  Commissioners. 

The  act  prohibits  the  construction  or  operation  of  any  railroad  upon  the        ROAD  TO 

r  r  ,  ■    ,  •         ,  •  r    XT  ,         .  1  •       BE  UPON  A 

surface  of  any  street,  avenue,  or  higlnva}'  m  the  city  of  i\ew  York;  but  this  STREET 
prohibition  does  not  extend  to  bridges,  or  viaducts,  or  approaches  connecting  SURFACE 
bridges  with  the  surface ;   nor  does  it  prevent  the  construction,  or  operation 
upon  the  surface,  of  any  street,  or  avenue,  or  bridge-approach  in  the  city  of 
New  York,  for  such  a  distance  as  may  be  reasonably  necessary  in  order  to  con- 
nect underground  lines  with  bridges,  viaducts,  or  surface  lines. 


Note. — The  following  sections  of  the  Act  of  1894,  Chapter  752,  do  not,  in 
terms,  amend  any  portion  of  the  Rapid  Transit  Act  of  1891,  although  the  whole 
Act  of  1894  is,  in  fact,  an  amendment  of  the  earlier  statute.  These  sections  are 
accordingly  numbered  with  respect  to  their  position  in  the  Act  of  1894,  and 
without  reference  to  the  numbering  of  the  sections  in  the  original  act. 

"Section  11.  The  Commissioners  of  Rapid  Transit  heretofore  appointed 
under  the  act  hereby  amended,  or  who  became  such  commissioners  by  its  terms, 
upon  the  organization  of  the  Board  which  shall  succeed  them  pursuant  to  said 
act  as  hereby  amended,  shall  cease  to  be  such  commissioners  and  shall  transfer 
and  deliver  to  the  Board  of  Rapid  Transit  Railroad  Commissioners,  provided 
for  by  the  act  hereby  amended,  as  so  amended,  all  furniture,  books,  maps,  records, 
plans,  and  other  papers  and  property  of  what  kind  soever  appertaining  or  belong- 
ing to  or  in  the  custody  of  the  Board  of  which  they  were  commissioners,  or  in 
their  possession,  or  under  their  control  as  such  commissioners,  or  held  by  them,  or 
for  which  they  are  responsible  in  their  official  capacity.  The  expenses  incurred  by 
said  commissioners  for  which  an  appropriation  or  appropriations  shall  have  been 
made  pursuant  to  section  ten  of  the  act  hereby  amended,  shall  be  paid  upon 
vouchers  to  be  furnished  by  said  Commissioners  and  otherwise,  as  provided  in 
said  section.  Said  Commissioners  shall  also  be  entitled  to  receive  a  reasonable 
compensation  for  the  services  which  have  been  rendered  by  them,  which  may 
have  been,  or  which  shall  be,  determined  on  their  application  in  the  manner  pro- 


273 


RAPID  TRANSIT 


vided  for  in  said  section.  The  Comptroller,  or  other  chief  financial  officer  of 
said  city,  is  hereby  authorized  and  directed  to  issue  and  sell  revenue  bonds  of 
such  city  in  anticipation  of  the  receipt  of  taxes  and  out  of  the  proceeds  of  such 
bonds  to  pay  said  compensation  so  ascertained  and  determined,  and  the  amount 
necessary  to  pay  the  principal  and  interest  of  said  bonds  shall  be  included  in 
the  tax  levy  of  said  city  for  the  year  next  following  the  issue  and  sale  of  the 
same. 

METHOD  OF  "Section  I2.  The  said  Jjoard  of  Rapid  Transit  Railway  Commissioners 
VOTING  jjj^gii  c^^ise  the  question,  whether  such  railwa\-  or  railways  shall  be  constructed  by 
the  city  and  at  the  public  expense,  to  be  submitted  to  the  qualified  electors  of 
the  city  within  which  such  railway  or  railways  is  or  are  to  be  constructed,  and  to 
that  end  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  said  Board,  after  completion  of  the  detailed  plans 
and  specifications,  as  required  by  the  act  hereby  amended,  at  least  thirty  days 
prior  to  the  next  general  election,  to  file  with  the  public  officer  or  officers  within 
the  county  in  which  such  city  is  located,  who  may  be  charged  with  the  duty  of 
printing  the  ballots  to  be  used  at  such  election,  a  request  that  separate  ballots  be 
printed  and  supplied  to  such  electors,  one-half  in  number  of  which  shall  read, 
'For  municipal  construction  of  rapid  transit  road,'  and  the  other  half  in  num- 
ber of  said  ballots  shall  read,  'Against  municipal  construction  of  rapid  transit 
road.'  Upon  such  request  being  so  filed,  such  ballots  shall  be  printed  and  sup- 
plied to  such  electors  at  such  general  election,  and  separate  ballot  boxes  shall  be 
provided  for  the  reception  of  the  same  in  each  election  district  within  such  city, 
and  the  provisions  of  chapter  six-hundred-and-eighty  of  the  laws  of  cighteen- 
hundred-and-ninety-two,  entitled  'An  act  in  relation  to  the  elections  constituting 
chapter  six  of  the  general  laws,'  and  any  act  or  acts  amendatory  thereof,  or  sup- 
plemental thereto,  shall  apply  thereto  as  far  as  the  nature  of  the  case  may  allow. 
No  ballot  which  may  be  provided  under  this  section  shall  be  deemed  invalid  by 
reason  of  any  error  in  dimensions,  style  of  printing,  or  other  formal  defect,  or 
through  having  been  deposited  in  the  wrong  ballot  box,  but  all  such  ballots 
shall  be  canvassed  and  returned  as  if  such  formal  defect  had  not  existed,  or  as  if 
they  had  been  deposited  in  the  box  provided  for  the  purpose.  Upon  the  can- 
vass of  such  votes  by  the  Board  of  County  Canvassers  of  the  county  in  which 
such  city  is  located,  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  said  Board  to  file  with  the  county 
clerk  of  said  county  a  statement  which  shall  declare  the  total  number  of  votes 
cast  in  said  city  'for  municipal  construction  of  rapid  transit  road,'  and  the  total 
number  so  cast  therein  'against  municipal  construction  of  rapid  transit  road.' 


274 


ri^iisnN'r  KAi'ii)  iR.wsn  laws 


And  the  said  railway  or  railways  shall  be  constructed  by  the  said  city  and  at  the 
public  expense,  if  it  shall  be  found  from  such  statements  so  filed  that  there  is  a 
majority  of  the  votes  so  cast  in  favor  of  such  municipal  construction. 

"Section  13.  In  case  the  majority  of  votes  cast  at  such  election  shall  be  in 
favor  of  such  municipal  construction  of  said  railway  or  railways,  it  shall  be 
the  duty  of  said  Board  of  Rapid  Transit  Railway  Commissioners,  within  thirty 
days  after  the  official  declaration  of  the  said  vote,  to  proceed  to  construct  the 
said  railway  or  railways,  and  to  make  and  let  all  contracts  recpiired  for  the  per- 
formance of  the  work  necessary  to  be  done  and  performed  in  and  about  the 
construction  thereof.  All  such  contracts  must,  before  execution,  be  approved  as 
lo  form  by  the  counsel  to  the  corjioration,  or  chief  legal  adviser  for  said  city." 


KAST   KIVILR  TUNNEL--N.   Y.  SUBWAY. 


275 


CHAPTER  XXll. 


APPRECIATION  OF  THE  CHAMBER. 


Tlic  proceedings  of  the  Cliaiuber  in  ap])reciation  of  the  services  of  its  mem- 
bers on  the  Board  of  Rapid  Transit  Commissioners  are  set  forth  in  the  following 
extracts  from  its  minutes: 

MEETING  OF  JANUARY  7,  1904. 

A.  Bakton  Hepj3UR.\ — Mr.  President,  many  if  not  most  of  the  great  enter- 
prises that  come  so  closely  home  to  the  general  welfare  and  interest  of  this  entire 
community  have  had  their  origin  and  found  the  mainspring  of  their  successful 
accomplishment  through  the  action  and  activity  of  this  Chamber.  Probably  no 
one  of  the  great  enterprises  to  which  I  have  referred  comes  more  closely  home  to 
the  entire  community  individually  than  the  Underground  Rapid  Transit  Rail- 
way, now  nearing  its  completion.  It  is  fortunate  for  this  community  that  our 
merchant  princes  and  successful  business  men.  like  the  President  of  this  Cha  n- 
ber,  Mr.  Orr,  Mr.  Smith  and  others,  can  be  induced,  or  gladly  come  forward,  to 
give  to  the  public  the  benefit  of  their  services  in  the  accomplishment  of  these 
great  enterprises  solely  in  the  public  interest  and  for  the  public  good.  The  Presi- 
dent of  this  Chamber,  with  five  other  members,  together  with  the  Mayor  and 
Comptroller,  constitute  the  Rapid  Transit  Commission.  Their  labors  have  been 
long  and  arduous,  and  it  seems  to  me  that  we  owe  it  to  ourselves,  as  well  as  to 
them,  at  this  particular  time  to  take  some  fitting  notice  of  the  services  that  they 
have  rendered,  which  will  inure  so  greatly  to  the  benefit  of  our  community.  In 
that  coimection  I  have  a  preamble  and  resolution  that  I  desire  to  ofifer : 

"Whereas,  The  Chamber  of  Commerce  initiated  the  plan  and  prepared  the 
bill  passed  by  the  Legislature  on  the  24th  of  May,  1894,  under  the  provisions  of 
which  the  Underground  Rapid  Transit  Railroad  is  now  nearly  completed ;  and 

"W  hereas,  The  President  of  this  Chamber  and  five  of  its  members,  with  the 
Mayor  and  Comptroller  of  the  city,  were  duly  appointed  a  Board  of  Rapid  Tran- 
sit Commissioners  ;  therefore,  be  it 


276 


Ari'RECIATlOS  OF  TIIL  CI  I  AM  BUR 


"Resolved,  That  the  C  lianil)cr  desires  to  make  suitahle  reeof^nitiou  of  tlie  RESOLUTION 
eminent  services  rendered  l)v  the  Commissioners,  and   to   tliis  end   Messrs.  ^^f^'I^I'I^f' 

COMMITTEE 

George  F.  Seward,  Jacob  H.  Schiff  and  Cornelius  N.  Bliss  be  and  they  are 
hereby  appointed  a  Special  Committee  to  consider  and  report  at  the  next  meet- 
ing what  action  in  their  judgment  should  be  taken  by  the  Chamber." 

Mr.  IIei'BURN — Mr.  President,  in  deference  to  your  well  known  modesty, 
being  a  member  of  the  Commission  as  well  as  President  of  this  Chamber,  it 
seemed  well  to  vary  the  invariable  rule  under  which  we  act,  and  to  name  the 
committee  in  this  resolution  instead  of  providing  that  they  be  appointed  by  the 
Chair.    I  move  the  adoption  of  the  resolution. 

The  resolution  was  unanimously  adopted. 

MEETING  OF  MARCH  3.  1904. 

The  Special  Committee  made  the  following  report,  which  was  advised  to  be 
printed  and  a  copy  sent  to  each  member : 

Report. 

In  the  City  Hall  station  of  the  Rapid  Transit  Subway  is  to  be  placed  a  tablet 
bearing  this  inscription:    [An  engraving  of  this  tablet  will  be  found  on  page  5.] 

SUGGESTED  BY  THE  CHAMBER  OF  COMMERCE,  tablet 
AUTHORIZED  BY  THE  STATE, 
CONSTRUCTED  BY  THE  CITY. 

This  inscription  is  right,  but  it  does  not  adequately  set  forth  the  service  this 
Chamber  has  rendered. 

Our  city  has  special  need  of  rapid  transit.  Its  principal  business  section  is  at 
the  southern  end  of  Manhattan  Island.  The  island  is  narrow  and  the  residential 
section  stretches  far  away  to  the  north.  It  includes  also  a  great  district  beyond 
the  East  River.  The  conformation  of  the  city  differs  in  this  respect  from  that  of 
London,  or  Paris,  or  Berlin,  where  there  has  been  unimpeded  growths  in  all 
directions  from  common  centers  of  business  and  population. 

In  each  of  these  great  cities  the  physical  difficulties  of  such  enterprises  PHYSICAL 
have  been  less.    In  each  of  them  the  difficulties  attending  the  organization  of  such  DIFFICULTIES 
work  has  been  less.    They  are  all  capitals  of  great  states,  so  organized  within 

277 


R.U'ID  TR.iNSir 


themselves  and  so  associated  witli  the  respective  national  governments  that  great 
public  works  are  not  halted  for  lack  of  intelligent,  appreciative  and  efifective 
support.  This  city,  the  second  in  population  on  the  globe,  is  not  the  capital  of  a 
State.  Vast  in  the  magnitude  of  its  population,  yielding  place  to  no  other  in 
financial  and  commercial  importance,  it  is  not  the  mistress  of  its  own  affairs. 
Its  local  government  indeed  is  often  in  conflict  with  the  State  Government 
because  of  ccmstitutional  conditions  and  of  the  free  pla\-  of  political  forces. 

While  these  things  are  true  we  yet  stand  in  face  of  the  great  facts  that  har- 
mony has  been  secured  between  the  State  and  the  city  ;  that  the  greatest  work 
yet  known  in  the  world  for  the  purpose  of  giving  transit  facilities  to  a  great  popu- 
lation is  nearing  its  completion,  and  that  it  is  the  Chamber  of  Commerce  and  a 
representative  body  of  its  members  that  have  so  i)lanned  and  so  worked  as  to 
bring  about  the  great  result. 

There  is  a  feature  in  .American  affairs  that  should  be  recognized  by  every 
citizen  who  appreciates  and  loves  his  country.  We  live  under  republican  institu- 
tions. The  eft'ective  quality  of  such  institutions  is  seldom  so  great  as  that  of 
the  older  forms  of  government.  Public  measures  there  are  generally  directed  by  a 
compacted  body  of  men  who,  by  reason  of  aliility  and  experience,  have  come 
into  supreme  control.  Under  a  republican  system  there  is  always  changeable 
control,  and  public  measures  can  never  be  pushed  beyond  the  point  to  which 
public  sentiment  has  progressed.  '  It  follows  that  in  an.y  republic  public  sentiment 
must  be  developed  and  organized  bv  the  people  themselves.  It  has  come  to  pass, 
-  happily,  in  our  great  land,  that  the  development  of  right  sentiment  and  the 
organization  of  measures  demanded  by  tlie  public  interest  have  received  the 
attention  of  unofficial  citizens.  The  field  of  work  of  this  Chamber  is  broader 
and  more  important  than  that  of  any  like  body  in  the  older  countries.  Our 
people,  quick  to  see  the  needs  of  any  situation,  are  constantly  organizing  unofficial 
bodies  that  do  good  work. 

RECOGNITION         Jt  is  said  that  republics  are  ungrateful.    It  may  be  so.    But  it  cannot  be  said 
BY  THE 

that  the  people  who  live  under  republican  forms  of  government  are  ungrateful 
toward  the  men  who  in  public  or  private  life  serve  the  public  with  fidelity.  On 
the  wall  yonder  hangs  a  great  historical  picture.  It  presents  the  tribute  of  this 
body  to  i\Ir.  Field  and  his  associates  in  an  achievement  incomparable  at  the  time 
and  of  vast  concern  to  the  world.  Those  who  have  participated  in  the  transac- 
tions of  this  body  have  seen  it  often  yield  just  honors.  The  man  who  more 
than   any   other   created   right  public  sentiment   for   a   sound   currency,  ]\Ir. 

278 


CHAMBER 


.U'l'lihX'l.n  ION  01'   THE  CII.\MIU:R 


Hanna  of  Indiana,  stood  here  of  late  to  receive  addresses  of  a])preciation  and  an 
engraved  medal  from  the  Chamber.  The  man  most  prominent  in  the  work  of 
devisinj^  the  basis  for  the  Rapid  Transit  enterprise  received  at  your  hands  like 
honor,  and  vontler  in  a  corridor  of  this  bcintiful  ball  is  to  stand  bis  statute 
done  in  marble.  He  was  a  citizen  who  served  the  public  officially  and  who 
served  it  unofficially  with  sin<^ular  clearness  of  vision,  with  devotion  and  with 
truth,  and  the  rewards  granted  to  him  by  this  Chamber  have  been  such  as  will 
make  his  memory  last  until  these  walls  crumble  into  dust.  If  it  be  true  that 
republics  as  such  are  ungrateful  let  us  take  care  that  no  such  charge  may  be 
brought  against  our  citizenship  at  large. 

What  has  been  said  is  general  in  terms.  Facts  specific  in  character  should  be 
set  f(M-th  lest  some  one  may  say  that  the  work  of  the  Chamber  and  of  its  mem- 
bers has  not  risen  to  the  height  of  public  achievement  indicated  in  the  language 
thus  used.    The  facts  are  salient  ones  and  he  who  runs  may  read  the  record. 

The  State  authorized  the  work.  The  Act  of  the  Legislature  granting  this 
authority  and  determining  the  methods  to  be  followed  was  prepared  imder  the 
direction  of  a  Committee  of  this  Chamber,  approved  by  this  Chamber,  and  urged 
upon  the  Legislature  by  this  Chamber  until  success  vv^as  won. 

Under  that  Act  the  city  was  empowered  to  carry  forward  the  enterprise  by  a  COMPOSITION 

commission  of  eight  persons.    The  President  of  thfs  Chamber  for  the  time  being  OF 

,    ,    .  ,  ,      •  COMMISSION 

and  live  other  persons  all  members  of  this  Cliamber  and  designated  by  it  were 

Commissioners.  To  these  were  added  the  Mayor  and  Comptroller  of  the  city. 
The  .\ct  made  the  body  a  continuous  one,  it  being  provided  that  the  Commis- 
sion should  itself  fill  vacancies  in  its  number.  It  happens  in  this  way  that  six 
out  of  eight  Commissioners  have  always  been  members  of  this  Chamber.  And  it 
happens  in  this  way  that  the  great  republican  need  of  unofficial  service  has  been 
satisfied  in  a  remarkable  manner. 

The  foundation  of  the  enterprise  having  been  so  laid,  the  duties  of  the  Com-  WORK 
missioners  began.  It  was  for  them  to  create  the  thing  so  planned  for.  Their  PERFORMED 
work  has  been  of  a  kind  that  cannot  be  told  in  detail.  They  determined  the 
route  of  the  subway,  having  regard  to  existing  means  of  transportation,  to  the 
convenience  of  the  population  actually  existent  and  that  hereafter  to  exist,  and 
having  regard  to  the  right  development  of  territory  shut  out  from  reasonable 
access  to  the  business  center.  They  determined  plans  for  the  structure,  fitting 
them  to  the  streets  to  be  traversed  and  to  the  probable  exigencies  of  traffic. 
They  laid  the  financial  scheme,  having  regard  to  the  prompt  construction  of  the 

279 


RAPID  TRANSIT 


work  on  economical  lines  and  conserving  the  permanent  interest  of  the  city  in 
the  work,  by  providing  that  the  city,  after  a  term  of  years,  shall  come  into  com- 
plete ownership  and  control  of  it.  They  carried  through  the  courts  proceedings 
necessary  to  legalize  the  plans  so  made.  They  selected  and  supervised  the  engi- 
neering staff.  They  reconciled  dififerences  with  th.e  city  as  to  moneys  required 
and  as  to  the  use  of  streets  and  interferences  with  public  utility  services.  They 
reconciled  differences  with  individual  property  owners.  They  determined  the 
construction  of  the  operating  j)lant  in  order  to  secure  safety  for  the  multitudes 
who  will  use  the  subway. 

Is  it  too  much  to  say  that  all  this  duty  has  called  for  attention,  prudence,  and 
ability  of  the  highest  order,  and  that  the  harmony  secured  and  the  public  approval 
vouchsafed  at  each  stage  of  the  work  indicates  that  attention,  prudence  and  skill 
have  been  exhibited  in  a  degree  that  has  left  nothing  to  be  desired? 

The  work  nears  completion.  By  July  it  is  likely  that  our  citizens  will  be  in 
full  use  of  its  benefits.  What  we  may  do  here  to  set  forth  the  merit  of  the 
work  and  the  merit  of  those  who  have  done  it  will  but  faintly  express  the  appre- 
ciation of  the  people  who  will  be  served  by  it.  In  knowledge  of  this  the  Cham- 
ber and  the  members  of  the  Commission  will  receive  their  best  reward. 

Your  Committee  in  submitting  this  report  desires  to  add  that  it  hopes  to 
submit  at  the  next  meeting  of  .the  Chamber  a  further  report  indicating  what 
means  should  be  organized  first,  in  order  that  "the  Chamber  may  take  a  right 
part  in  celebration  of  the  opening  of  the  Rapid  Transit  Subway  to  jniblic  use, 
and  second,  in  order  that  the  service  rendered  by  members  of  the  Chamber  may  be 
properly  recognized. 

Your  Committee  submits  the  following  resolution : 

Resolved,    That  this  preliminary  report  be  received  and  printed  for  the 
use  of  the  Chamber  and  its  members. 

All  of  which  is  respectfully  submitted. 

(Signed,)       Jacob  H.  Schiff,  ^ 

George  F.  Seward,    V  Special  Committee. 
Cornelius  N.  Bliss,  j 


MEETING  OF  APRIL  7,  1904. 


The  report  made  as  stated  above  was  adopted  by  the  Chamber. 


280 


Ari'KiiCiATius  or  run  cii.imblk 


MEETING  OF  NOVEMBER  2.  1904. 

The  S])ccial  Conmiittcc,  several  gentlemen  having  been  added  to  its  mem- 
bership, offered  the  following  report,  which  was  adopted : 

Rkport. 

To  the  Chamber  of  Coiiiiiicrcc : 

Your  Committee  was  appointed  in  January  last.  Un  March  2  it  made  a 
preliminary  report  which  was  printed  for  the  information  of  members.  That 
report  j)resented  briefly  the  following  facts : 

That  our  city  is  so  situated  that  rapid  transit  is  more  necessary  here  than  in 
any  other  great  city. 

That  this  Chamber,  impressed  by  the  importance  of  the  subject,  studied  it 
with  care,  prepared  the  form  of  legislation  required  and  pressed  it  to  action  by 
the  Legislature  of  the  State. 

That  these  studies  involved  not  only  physical  problems  of  a  serious  nature, 
but  also  administrative  problems  of  importance  and  difficulty. 

That  the  law  actually  secured  provided  the  means  for  a  right  solution  of 
all  these  problems  involved. 

That  it  committed  the  enterprise  to  a  Commission  of  eight  persons,  six  of 
whom  were  members  of  this  Chamber. 

That  continuously  ever  since  six  members  of  the  Commission  have  been 
members  of  this  Chamber,  the  other  two  being  the  Mayor  and  Comptroller  for 
the  time  being. 

That  the  Commission  deserves  high  commendation  not  only  because  it  deter- 
mined plans  for  rapid  transit  broad  in  scope  and  fitted  to  the  needs  of  the  ci^y, 
and  has  carried  these  forward  under  difficult  circumstances,  but  also,  and  notably, 
because  it  has  so  planned  that  the  city  owns  the  franchise,  and  will  eventually 
come  into  possession  and  control  of  the  entire  system  with  little  or  no  debt  out- 
standing. 

It  is  not  the  purpose  of  your  Committee  to  enlarge  upon  the  report  so 
made  or  to  elaborate  remarks.  It  has  waited  until  the  subway,  so  far  as  it  is 
completed,  has  come  into  use,  and  every  citizen  may  see  for  himself  its  magni- 
tude, the  fitness  and  beauty  of  its  details,  and  its  capacity  to  serve  the  conven- 
ience and  comfort  of  our  population  at  the  moment  and  so  long  as  multitudes  of 
people  congregate  within  our  borders. 

The  subway  speaks  for  itself  in  these  directions.    It  speaks  also  upon  a 


281 


RAPID  TRANSIT 


further  point.  In  all  its  parts  it  bears  witness  to  the  forethought  of  those  who 
were  the  direct  instruments  in  its  construction,  and  to  their  skill,  capacity,  cour- 
age and  constancy.  If  it  is  a  great  work,  it  it  so  as  the  result  of  adequate  desi<^n 
and  effort. 

But  the  subway  is  as  mute  as  the  great  pyramid  in  another  direction.  It 
has  no  voice  to  name  and  thank  its  own  builders.  That  duty  rests  upon  us  who 
have  been  the  human  witnesses  of  their  labors. 

Your  Committee  now  suggests  the  ways  by  which  the  Chamber  mav  give 
deserved  honors  to  those  of  its  members  who  have  served  the  enterprise.  We 
advise : 

BOOK  1st.    That  your  Committee  be  instructed  to  prepare  and  print  a  descrip- 

tive and  historical  memoir  of  the  enterprise  to  the  end  that  the  instrumentality  of 
this  Chamber,  of  its  members,  and  of  others  in  the  great  work  may  be  properly 
recorded  in  permanent  form.  Your  Committee  believes  that  such  a  record  is 
necessary  to  a  right  appreciation  of  the  work  that  has  been  done,  and,  as  well, 
that  the  record  will  serve  a  large  public  purpose  by  indicating  how  similar 
municii)al  purposes  here  and  elsewhere  may  best  be  promoted. 
MEDALS  TO         2(1.    That  your  Committee  be  instructed  to  cause  to  be  struck  suitable 

COMMIS-  j^ipdaig  ij-j  crold,  similar  to  the  one  alreadv  presented  to  Mr.  Hewitt,  and  that 
SIONERS  " 

these  medals  be  presented  in  this  Chamber  to  Mr.  Orr  and  to  those  members  of 

the  Chamber  associated  with  him  in  duty. 

3d.  In  order  that  the  matter  may  proceed  in  a  proper  way,  your  Com- 
mittee proposes  that  the  Executive  Committee  be  requested  to  decide  to  what 
extent  current  funds  of  the  Chamber  may  be  utilized  for  the  purposes  stated. 

GROUP         A  further  proposal  has  been  considered  by  your  Committee.    It  is  this — 
PICTURE 

That  a  group  picture,  presenting  the  portraits  of  those  of  our  members  who 
have  had  to  do  with  Rapid  Transit  work,  be  procured  and  given  place  on  the 
walls  of  this  Hall  as  a  companion  piece  to  the  Atlantic  Cable  picture. 

Your  Committee  is  prepared  to  say  that  such  a  picture  would  adorn  our 
walls,  would  be  of  peculiar  interest  to  our  members  so  long  as  the  Chamber 
exists,  and  that  the  services  of  our  members  would  be  fittingly  honored  in  this 
wav.  Books  go  to  the  shelves  of  libraries  and  in  the  end  are  lost  sight  of. 
Medals  remain  in  the  family  and  are  not  remembered  elsewhere  after  a  brief 
season.    A  great  painting  remains  an  object  of  interest,  of  pride,  and  of  inspira- 


282 


AITKIiClATIOS   OP   THE  CU.lMIUiR 


tion  for  an  almost  indefinite  period.  Your  Committee  cannot  but  hope  that  such  a 
pictun  niav  he  |)lace(I  upon  our  walls,  hut  it  has  no  thought  that  it  can  be  pro- 
vided for  out  of  the  current  funds  of  the  Chamber  nor  otherwise  than  by  the 
generous  action  of  indivKhials. 

Your  Committee  desires  that  the  way  may  be  kept  open  to  secure  such  a 
picture,  and  to  this  end  asks  the  Chamber  to  authorize  the  Executive  Commit- 
tee to  give  any  needed  assurances  that  a  suitable  painting,  if  offered,  will  be  grate- 
fully accepted  by  the  Chamber. 

Your  Committee  respectfully  submits  the  following  resolution: 
That  this  Chamber  holds  in  great  appreciation  the  unselfisiT  and  liighly  suc- 
cessful services  of  Mr.  Orr  and  his  colleagues,  and  with  the  desire  to  give  this 
appreciation  tangible  form  requests  the  Special  Committee  to  give  efifect,  to  the 
best  of  its  ability,  to  the  plans  set  forth  in  its  report. 

(Signed)       George  F.  Seward, 
Cornelius  N.  Bliss, 
Jacob  H.  Schiff, 
A.  Barton  Hepburn, 
A.  Foster  Higgins, 

„   ,  ^  y  Shecial  Committee. 

C.  Adolphe  Low, 

Isidor  Straus, 

Charles  S.  Fairchild, 

J.  Edward  Simmons, 

Isaac  N.  Seligman, 

MEETING  OF  DECEMBER  7,  1905. 
The  Special  Committee  submitted  the  following  report : 

Report. 

To  the  Chamber  of  Coiiiiiierce : 

At  a  regular  meeting  of  the  Chamber  in  January,  1904,  the  following  pre- 
amble and  resolution,  offered  by  Mr.  Hepburn,  were  passed: 

Whereas,  The  Chamber  of  Commerce  initiated  the  plan  and  prepared  the 
bill  passed  by  the  Legislature  on  the  24th  of  May,  1894,  under  the  provisions  of 
which  the  Underground  Rapid  Transit  Railroad  is  now  nearly  completed ;  and 

Whereas,  The  President  of  this  Chamber  and  five  of  its  members,  with  the 

283 


RAPID  TRANSIT 


Mayor  and  Comptroller  of  the  city,  were  duly  appointed  a  Board  of  Rapid  Tran- 
sit Coinmissioncrs ;  therefore,  be  it 

APPOINT-         Resolved,   That  the  Chanil)er  desires  to  make  suilal)le  recognition  of  the 
MENT  OF        .  . 
COMMITTEE  eminent   services   rendered  by   the   Commissioner?,   and   to   tliis   end  Messrs. 

George  F.  Seward,  Jacob  H.  Schiff  and  Cornelius  N.  Bliss,  lx>  and  they  hereby 

are  appointed  a  Special  Committee  to  consider  and  report  at  the  next  meeting 

what  action  in  their  judgment  should  be  taken  by  the  Chamber. 

At  the  meeting  of  March  following  your  Committee  presented  a  preliminarv 
report. 

At  the  meeting  of  November  following  your  Committee  made  a  further 
report  containing,  among  otiier  matters,  the  following  proposals : 

INSTRUC-         1st.    That  your  Committee  be  instructed  to  prepare  and  i)rint  a  descriptive 
TIONS 

and  historical  memoir  of  the  enterprise,  to  the  end  that  the  instrumentality  of 
this  Chamber,  of  its  members,  and  of  others  in  the  great  work  may  be  properly 
recorded  in  permanent  form.  Your  Committee  believes  that  such  record  is  neces- 
sary to  a  right  appreciation  of  the  work  that  has  been  done,  and,  as  well,  that 
the  record  will  serve  a  large  public  i)urpose  by  indicating  how  similar  municipal 
purposes  here  and  elsewhere  may  best  be  promoted. 

2d.  That  your  Committee  be  instructed  to  cause  to  be  struck  suitable 
medals  in  gold,  similar  to  the  one  already  presented  to  Mr.  Hewitt,  and  that 
these  medals  be  presented  in  this  Chamber  to  Mr.  Orr  and  to  those  members  of 
the  Chamber  associated  with  him  in  duty. 

These  proposals  were  approved  by  the  Chamljer. 

Your  Committee,  in  pursuance  of  the  authority  so  given,  has  caused  to  be 
struck  seven  medals  of  suitable  size  and  design,  and  now  brings  them  to  the 
Chamber  in  order  that  they  may  be  formally  presented  to  the  persons  named 
below : 

Alexander  E.  Orr, 
Morris  K.  Jesup, 
John  Claflin, 
Woodbury  Langdon, 
Seth  Low, 
John  H.  Starin, 
Charles  Stewart  Smith. 

284 


AI'riiliCIATlON  OF  THE  CHAMBER 


Your  Committee  has  to  report  furtlier  tliat  tlic  memoir  or  book  authorized  by  SCOPE  OF 

BOOK 

the  Chamber  is  now  in  the  hands  of  tlie  jirinter.  Tt  will  contain  a  description  of 
passen.e^er  transportation  facilities  in  our  city  and  vicinity  from  an  early  day,  and  a 
statement  of  plans  now  bein";  prosecuted  for  further  developments.  Tt  will  con- 
tain also  much  matter  relating-  to  the  underground  railway  systems  of  London, 
Glasgow,  Paris,  Berlin,  Budapest,  Boston,  Philadcplhia  and  Chicago.  The 
book,  with  its  pictures,  maps  and  plans  will  run  to  more  than  300  pages. 

Your  Committee  believes  that  the  information  presented  in  this  book  justi- 
fies the  following  conclusions : 

(i.)  That  the  work  done  by  the  Rapid  Transit  Board  and  the  plans  deter- 
mined upon  for  further  work  will  provide  our  city  in  its  various  sections  with  a 
very  complete  system  of  rapid  transit  facilities. 

(2.)    That  this  system,  to  say  the  least,  will  compare  favorably  with  that  of 
anv  other  city  in  the  world. 

(3.)    That  the  physical  difficulties  met  and  overcome  have  been  greater 
than  in  any  other  city. 

(4.)    That  the  working  out  of  a  right  system  has  been  more  difficult  by 
reason  of  peculiarities  of  governmental  control,  State  and  Municipal. 

Your  Committee  has  had  no  duty  assigned  to  it  as  respects  those  gentle-  INVITED 
men  who  have  served  on  the  Commission  in  an  official  capacity  beyond  present- 
ing to  the  members  a  just  and  appreciative  statement  of  the  facts.  These  gen- 
tlemen include  Mayors  Van  Wyck,  Low  and  McClellan,  and  Comptrollers  Coler 
'  and  Grout.  But  your  Committee  has  believed  that  it  would  be  grateful  to  the 
Chamber  to  invite  these  gentlemen  to  be  present  and  to  witness  the  honors 
that  we  feel  free  to  bestow  upon  gentlemen  of  our  own  membership  toward 
whom  we  entertain  sentiments  of  gratitude  that  are  enhanced  and  deepened  by 
the  affection  generated  in  years  of  intercourse  on  this  floor.  Some  of  the  gen- 
tlemen so  invited  are  present  and  will  know  that  our  gratitude  is  not  bounded  by 
the  walls  of  this  room,  but  extends  also  to  them  in  full  measure. 

Your  Committee  has  not  failed  to  remember  that  one  gentleman  has 
served  on  the  Board  who  was  not  an  official  member,  and  not  a  member  of  this 
Chamber.    This  gentleman,  Mr.  George  L.  Rives,  known  to  us  all  as  a  man  who 


28s 


RAPID  TRANSIT 


has  served  the  city  in  important  ways  and  always  beneficially,  has  been  invited  to 
this  meeting  in  order  that  he  may  also  be  the  recipient  of  onr  thanks. 

Your  Committee  has  invited  to  be  present  also  Mr.  William  Barclay  Par- 
sons, Mr.  August  Belmont  and  Mr.  John  B.  McDonald.  These  men,  in  their 
several  departments,  have  exhibited  such  broad  capacity  and  such  faithfulness 
that  no  account  of  the  subway  which  fails  to  note  their  services  could  be  con- 
sidered at  all  complete  or  just. 

Your  Committee  has  not  been  authorized  to  apportion  honor  between  the 
members  of  the  Board,  official  or  unofficial.  Yet  we  think  that  the  members  of 
the  Board  would  themselves  consider  us  remiss  if  we  should  fail  to  state  that 
the  services  of  two  gentlemen  have  been  especially  valuable.  Your  Committee 
refers  to  the  late  Mr.  Hewitt  and  to  Mr.  Orr.  To  the  acute  mind  and  wide  political 
and  administrative  experience  of  the  former  is  to  be  largely  credited  the  com- 
bination of  the  theories  of  municipal  ownership  and  private  enterprise  adopted 
and  adhered  to  in  the  subway  undertaking,  and  which  has  made  the  work  espe- 
cially satisfactory  to  our  peo])le.  To  the  trained  business  intelligence  of  Mr. 
Orr,  to  his  fertility  of  resource,  his  critical  care  and  sturdy  courage,  is  to  be 
largely  credited  the  solution  of  the  grave  problems  that  were  met  at  every  turn  in 
the  prosecution  of  the  work. 

OBJECT  Our  great  community  is  to  be  congratulated  in  an  especial  manner  upon 
-ESSONS  £^^j^  j^j^^^  ^j^g  ^gg^  virtue  and  the  best  intelligence  of  our  citizenship  have  been 
enlisted  in  the  enterprise.  It  is  not  always  that  this  happens  under  our  institu- 
tions, and  not  always  that  it  happens  under  any  institutions.  That  it  has  hap- 
pened here,  in  a  city  thought  by  some  to  be  given  over  to  the  lust  of  wealth 
and  careless  as  to  the  course  of  administration,  must  give  cheer  to  every  man 
who  is  proud  of  his  city,  and  who  believes  that  high  integrity  as  well  as  high 
capacity  are  to  be  found  here  in  no  stinted  measure. 

Your  Committee  proposes  now  to  place  the  seven  medals  in  the  hands  of 
the  temporary  presiding  officer,  to  be  by  him  in  your  presence,  to-day,  presented  to 
the  several  gentlemen  for  whom  they  are  intended  :  that  five  copies  of  the  book 
shall  be  given  to  each  of  the  Rapid  Transit  Commissioners,  official  and  unofficial, 
one  copy  to  each  member  of  the  Chamber,  and  that  500  copies  be  printed  for 
distribution  among  public  libraries. 


286 


.\ri'RF.CI.\TI()\   ()!■    Tim  CII.IMH/:R 


^'our  committee  moves  the  adoption  of  this  report  and  tlie  ap])roval  of  tlie 
proposals  just  recited. 

Respectfnll\  submitted. 


(Signed) 


(  ilCOKCK  1'.  SiaVAKl), 


Cornelius  N.  Br.iss, 

J  A  con  H.  SCIITKF^ 

A.  Barton  Hepburn, 
A.  Foster  Higgins, 
C.  Adolphe  Low, 
TsiDOR  Straus, 
Charles  S.  FAiRcniLn, 
J.  EnwARD  Simmons, 
Isaac  N.  Seligman, 


r  Sf^ccial  Coitiiiiittcc. 


The  further  proceedings  on  this  occasion  were  as  follows: 

The  President — Before  action  is  taken  on  this  interesting  report  you  will 
see  the  propriety  of  mv  calling  to  the  Chair  our  Vice-President,  who  is  witli  us. 
Mr.  Charles  Lanier.    I  will  ask  him  to  take  my  place. 

]\Ir.  Lanier  took  the  Chair. 

Mr.  Alfred  P.  Boller — Mr.  Chairman  and  gentlemen,  it  is  fitting  in  sec-  ALFRED  P. 

BOLLER 

ending  the  adoption  of  the  report  just  read  to  make  a  few  remarks  in  apprecia- 
tion of  the  work  of  this  Committee. 

In  its  whole  history  of  pidolic  accomplishments  the  Chamber  of  Commerce 
never  did  a  greater  thing  than  become  sponsor  for  the  magnificent  system  of 
Rapid  Transit  Subways,  with  which  this  city  is  now  blessed,  and  enabled  to 
march  forward  toward  its  destinv  of  being  the  First  Citv  of  the  World. 

Great  as  this  achievement  has  been,  the  Chamber  has  done  even  more  than 
create  a  work  of  public  utility  of  far  reaching  consequences.  It  has  shown  how  a 
great  public  work,  of  incalculable  value  to  the  City  of  New  York  for  all  time  to 
come,  can  be  conceived,  organized  and  carried  out,  freed  from  those  political 
entanglements,  which  so  often  prove  a  source  of  waste,  extravagance,  or  scandal. 

This  is,  indeed,  an  occasion  of  pardonable  self-congratulation  for  a  great 
deed  well  accomplished,  and  the  Chamber  honors  itself  in  honoring  those  men  on 
whom  has  fallen  the  burden  and  responsibility  of  the  trust  committed  to  them. 

As  an  engineering  work,  the  New  York  Subway  is,  I  believe,  unmatched  in  ENGINEERING 


287 


RAPID  TRANSIT 


any  city  in  the  world  in  magnitude  and  the  extent  of  the  difficulties  overcome, 
and  is  an  enduring  monument  to  that  youthful  brain  that  the  Rapid  Transit  Com- 
mission called  in  to  their  aid,  to  show  them  how  the  work  they  had  undertaken 
could  be  accomplished.  It  must  have  been  an  inspiration  that  dictated  to  that 
Commission  the  selection  of  its  technical  head,  when,  instead  of  following  the 
usual  course  of  seeking  an  engineer  of  trained  experience,  with  a  record  of  great 
deeds  accomplished  behind  him,  they  committed  the  responsibility  of  planning 
the  exceptional  work  they  had  undertaken,  as  well  as  its  supervisory  execution,  to 
the  hands  of  a  young  engineer  who  had  his  spurs  yet  to  win,  and  experience  on  a 
large  scale  to  get.  It  was  an  unheard  of  procedure,  but  the  results  accomplished 
have  shown  that  in  no  respect  has  the  wisdom  and  judgment  of  the  Commission 
been  vindicated  in  a  higher  degree  than  when  they  called  William  Barclay  Par- 
sons to  be  their  Chief  Engineer. 
CONTRACTOR  No  reference  to  the  engineering  side  of  this  splendid  subway  system  is  com- 
plete without  congratulating  the  Commission  upon  the  limited  tenders  they  had 
for  the  work  when  advertised  for  contract,  which  resultetl  in  the  selection  of 
John  B.  [McDonald  as  contractor,  whose  genius  for  organization,  coupled  with  a 
fertility  of  resource,  was  a  potent  factor  in  achieving  the  results  obtained.  It 
was  a  happy  combination  of  circumstances  that  brought  together  such  well  bal- 
anced co-ordinating  factors  as  our  Rapid  Transit  Commission,  its  Chief  Engineer, 
and  its  Chief  Contractor,  resulting  in  a  completeness  of  scheme  on  bold,  broad 
lines,  that  has  excited  not  only  the  admiration  of  the  engineering  world,  but  of 
all  well-wishers  of  civic  righteousness  for  the  high  sense  of  trusteeship  which 
actuated  its  administration. 

May  the  example  set  by  this  Chamber  for  enlisting  "high  integrity  and  high 
capacity,"  in  the  service  of  the  city,  shine  forth  as  a  standard  of  endeavor  for  all 
future  time,  as  the  burnished  gold  on  the  medals  that  to-day  are  bestowed  on 
those  of  our  members  who  have  so  faithfully  discharged  a  great  public  duty. 

Mr.  Boller — Mr.  President,  I  would  like  to  add  a  few  remarks  upon  the 
report  just  read  by  Mr  Seward.  A  limited  number  of  copies  of  the  record  was 
provided  for.  There  was  no  provision  for  a  stock  on  hand  in  the  Chamber. 
They  are  provided  for  distribution  among  the  members  and  for  library  distribu- 
tion. We  ought  to  have  an  edition  here  in  the  Chamber,  as  the  material  is  so 
valuable  that  there  will  always  be  a  demand  for  it ;  and,  perhaps  it  is  not  in  order, 
but  I  think  it  would  be  well  for  the  Executive  Committee  to  take  up  that  ques- 


288 


■iPPRRCIATION  OP  TUP  CIPIMPP.R 


tidii  and  consider  the  a(lvisal)ility  of  ])rinlinj;-  an  ailditioiial  luiniUer  of  copies  for 
future  use. 

The  CiiAiR.NrAN — Are  there  anv  furtlier  remarks?  rientlenien,  the  question 
before  you  now  is  the  adoption  of  the  report  of  tlie  Special  Committee.  Wliat  is 
your  pleasure? 

J.  Edward  Simmons — I  move  its  adoption. 

The  report  was  then  unanimously  adopted. 

The  Chairman — I  see  that  the  Hon.  Edward  M.  Grout,  Comptroller,  is 
with  us.    We  would  like  to  hear  from  him. 

Mr.  Grout — Mr.  Chairman  and  gentlemen  of  the  Chamber,  I  came  as  a  EDWARD  M. 
witness,  and  did  not  expect  to  be  a  participant  in  your  ceremonies.  Perhaps  the 
process  of  elimination,  by  which  I  am  the  only  public  official  here  who  is  not  a 
member  of  the  Chamber,  has  led  you  to  ask  me  to  speak.  I  can  add  nothing 
whatever,  it  seems  to  me,  to  what  is  contained  in  the  very  full  and  fair  report  of 
your  Committee.  The  noticeable  thing  in  the  Rapid  Transit  law  in  my  mind,  as  I 
have  seen  it  in  administration,  is  the  recognition  of  the  necessity  of  the  continu- 
ous work  of  a  continuing  executive  body ;  and  that  precedent  has  been 
adopted,  in  a  measure,  in  the  great  and  important  work  which  the  city  is  about  to 
undertake  of  procuring  a  larger  supply  of  water  for  the  city ;  and  it  seems  to  me 
that  in  every  public  improvement  where  the  plans  must  of  necessity  require  a 
long  period  of  time  to  complete  them,  the  principle  which  you  have  caused  to  be 
adopted  in  the  Rapid  Transit  Act,  of  a  continuing  body,  as  against  public  officials 
who  serve  for  a  short  period,  is  the  principle  to  be  chosen. 

One  personal  word  I  would  like  to  say.  It  is  a  matter  of  great  pleasure  for 
one  who  has  sat  for  four  years  on  the  Board  with  the  members  of  your  body 
who  are  there,  to  see  them  receive  at  your  hands  this  recognition  of  the  valuable 
services  which  they  have  performed  for  the  city.  [Applause.] 

The  Chairman — Mr.  William  Barclay  Parsons  is  present  with  us.  We 
would  be  glad  to  hear  a  few  remarks  from  him.  [Applause.] 

Mr.  Parsons — Mr.  President,  I  don't  think  there  is  much  for  me  to  say,  WM.  BARCLAY 
after  I  have  thanked  you,  sir,  and  the  members  of  the  Chamber,  for  the  invita-  PARSONS 
tion  to  be  here  to-day  and  to  receive  the  thanks  of  the  Chamber,  and  for  the  very 
flattering  remarks  that  were  made,  especially  by  Mr.  Boiler,  in  seconding  the 
report  of  the  Committee.     Mr.   Boiler  referred  to  the  work  of  the  "young 

289 


RAl'lD  TRAXSIT 


enj^ineer."  Rut  tlie  young  engineer  could  not  possibly  have  succeeded  if  he  had 
not  had  (luring  his  eleven  years  of  service  with  the  Rapid  Transit  Commission 
the  full  and  absolute  sui)port  of  that  Commissicn  at  all  limes;  and  for  that  sup- 
port I  should  like  now  to  make  full  acknowledgment,  and  thank  the  members  of 
the  Board  for  having  given  it  to  me  so  unreservedly  and  fully  as  they  have  done. 
The  Committee  state  tiiat  they  have  made  no  attempt  to  apportion  honors.  Of 
course,  it  is  not  for  me  to  do  so;  but  I  do  not  think  I  am  stepping  beyond  the 
bounds  of  propriety  when  I  say  that  in  this  eleven  years  of  service  as  the  execu- 
tive officer  of  the  Commission  T  was  necessarily  brought  into  verv  close  contact 
with  the  President  of  the  Board,  and  I  know  that  at  many  very  critical 
moments,  if  it  had  not  been  for  his  steadfastness  and  absolute  and  unswerving 
belief  in  the  enterprise  of  which  he  was  the  head,  we  would  not  have  had  ranid 
transit  to-day.  And  I  think,  therefore,  this  city  owes  the  Chairman  of  the  Com- 
mission, Mr.  ( )rr,  a  very  great  debt,  and  that  this  Chamber,  of  which  I  am  a 
member,  also  owes  to  his  efforts  the  fact  that  we  are  celebrating  to-day  the 
achievement  of  his  labors.    [Great  applause.] 

The  Chairman — Mr.  George  L.  Rives  is  present.    We  would  be  glad  to 
hear  from  him.  [Applause.] 
RGE  L.  I'^iVES — Mr.  President,  for  the  very  great  comphment  which  has  been 

RIVES  given  to  me  in  the  report  of  the  Committee  1  can  only  express  my  most  sincere 
and  grateful  thanks.  I  was  born  in  this  city,  have  been  brought  up  here ;  I  have 
lived  here  all  my  life.  It  has  always  been  my  desire  and  my  ambition  to  deserve 
the  good  will  and  confidence  of  my  fellow  citizens.  I  need  not  say  to  you,  there- 
fore, with  what  pleasure  I  feel  that  such  efforts  as  I  have  been  allowed  to  make 
for  the  service  of  the  people  of  this  city  are  appreciated  and  approved  by  those 
who  represent  the  commercial  and  financial  interests  of  the  metropolis.  Quite 
apart  from  any  personal  question,  I  want  to  express  my  very  great  gratification 
that  this  Chamber  has  thought  it  right  in  this  public  and  striking  manner  to 
recognize  the  value  of  the  services  of  the  members  of  the  Commission.  My  own 
membership  in  the  Commission  ceased  four  years  ago,  so  that  I  can  speak  in  a 
very  impersonal  manner  of  the  efficient  and  admirable  work  which  they  have 
done.  It  is  only  those  who  will  tt'ke  the  trouble  to  inform  themselves,  as  your 
Committee  has  done,  of  the  great  difficulties  that  had  to  be  overcome,  difficul- 
ties of  an  engineering  character,  difficulties  of  what  I  might  call  a  moral  char- 
acter, difficulties  of  a  legal  and  financial  character — only  those  who  thoroughly 
understand  that  can  appreciate  how  complete  and  striking  a  victory  this  Com- 


290 


irrk'iu  i.iriox  ()!■  iiii:  cii.imhi:i< 


mission  lias  \v<'n.  I 'ii turUinatc-iy  a  i^i'fat  inaii_\  |)co])lc  do  not  nndrrsland  the 
subject.  (  )iir  of  tlir  raiididatrs  for  Mavor  at  tlic  recent  election,  standing'  n|)on 
tile  platform  of  Mnniei|)al  (  )\viu'rsliii),  and  !)ackc(l  by  Imndreds  of  tlionsands  of 
votes,  is  now  advocating;-  the  ])assage  of  legislation  which  will  legislate  out  of 
ofHce  the  Rapid  Transit  Commission,  and  change  radically  the  law  under  which 
they  have  operated.  Such  legislation  was  introduced  last  year  and  defeated, 
but  it  will  be  introduced  ;:gain  at  the  coming  session  of  the  Legislature  and 
urged  with  a  great  deal  of  vigor  and  with  a  great  deal  of  po])ular  iiacking.  1 
need  not  tell  this  Chamber  what  1  think  personally  of  the  merits  of  the  Rapid 
Transit  .\ct  under  which  these  things  have  been  accomplished.  We  are  reminded 
to-day  of  the  fact,  as  everybody  here  knows,  that  the  existing  law  was  initiated 
and  framed  under  the  auspices  of  this  Chamber.  If  this  Chamber  desires  to 
see  that  law  continued  in  force;  if  this  Chamber  does  not  wish  to  see  the  con- 
servative safeguards  removed  which  iNfr.  Hewitt  so  admirably  contended  for 
and  so  admirably  introduced  into  this  bill,  I  venture  to  suggest  that  it  is 
the  part  of  this  Chamber  to  have  its  voice  heard  at  Albany  during  the  coming 
session  of  the  I  legislature.  1  need  not  tell  you  that  the  innueiice  of  the  Cham- 
ber in  such  a  matter  will  be  very  great  and  may  possibly  be  decisive.  And  I  do 
hope  that  whatever  the  Chamber  may  do  or  leave  undone,  it  will  at  least  care- 
fully examine  into  this  subject  ^vith  the  purpose  of  retaining  the  conservative 
safeguards  which  have  been  thrown  about  this  matter.  Mr.  President,  I  can 
only  end  as  I  began,  by  thanking  the  Chamber  very  sincerely  for  the  great  com- 
pliment that  has  been  paid  me.  [Applause.] 

The  Ch.\irman — We  would  be  glad  to  hear  from  Mr.  August  Belmont, 
who  is  also  present  here.  [Applause.] 

Mr.  Belmoxt — Mr.  Chairman  and  gentlemen,  it  was  not  my  purpose  to  AUGUST 
say  anything  to  you,  but,  of  course,  I  must  respond  to  the  request  of  the  Chair.  BELMON 
I  really  do  not  think  that  I  can  add  anything,  except  to  ask  you  to  review  the 
work,  }-ou  who  are  business  men  and  understand  what  it  means  to  organize  a 
corporation  and  manage  it  in  the  face  of  the  difficulties  which  corporations  of 
to-day  encounter ;  and  I  can  only  say  that  1  trust  that  that  management  has  met 
with  your  approval  and  will  meet  with  }'our  continued  endorsement.    You  see  ' 
the  results  of  it.    You  know  the  claim  which  it  has  for  conservative  capitaliza- 
tion and  for  careful  conduct.    I  speak  of  that  with  some  pride,  and  that  is  as 
far  as  I  can  go.    The  future  will  have  to  speak  for  itself.    [Great  applause.] 


291 


RAPID  TRANSIT 


Till-:  Chairman — I  am  sure,  J40iitlenien,  we  would  like  to  hear  from  Mr. 
Johu  J!.  McDonald. 

JOHN  B  ^^cDoNALi; — Mr.  Chairman  anil  i^entlemen  of  the  Chamber  of  Com- 
McDonald  merce,  it  affords  me  .c;reat  pleasure  to  be  here  to-day  to  do  honor  to  the  men  of 
New  York  who  have  C( )nlrihnted  so  nuich  to  the  great  work  of  constructing  the 
first  Municipal  Railway  of  Greater  New  York. 

It  would  be  a  twice-told  tale  were  I  to  recount  the  story  of  the  many 
obstacles  met  and  overcome.  The  facts  exist,  however,  that  with  ihc  aid  and 
countenance  of  your  body,  the  patience  and  forbearance  of  the  public,  the  unfail- 
ing support  of  the  Rapid  Transit  Commission  and  its  Chief  Engineer,  supple- 
mented by  the  co-operation  of  this  and  preceding  municipal  administrations,  you 
have  given  to  the  City  of  New  York  the  greatest  Rapid  Transit  Railroad  in  the 
world. 

Little  more  than  a  year  has  elapsed  since  the  road  was  opened  for  active 
operation.  I  think  it  may  be  fairly  said  that  but  few,  if  any,  anticipated  the  great 
benefits  to  the  public  which  it  confers.    Even  now  its  capacity  is  overtaxed. 

There  remains  much  to  be  done  to  meet  the  demands  for  transportation  of 
this  Empire  City.  Build  where  you  will,  the  ever  increasing  po])ulation  of  New 
York  will  absorb  your  facilities,  and  the  crying  demand  of  the  hour  is  for  more 
accommodations. 

I  know  that  so  long  as  the  public  interests  are  entrusted  to  those  who  have 
not  failed  in  the  past  we  may  look  confidently  to  the  future. 

I  congratulate  you,  gentlemen,  and  the  City  of  New  York  upon  the  accom- 
plishment of  your  gigantic  undertaking.  That  your  work  has  been  completed 
and  placed  in  the  public  service  without  a  shadow  to  mar  its  fair  fame  will  live  in 
history  a  montunent  to  those  who  have  directed  and  aided  in  its  construction. 
[Applause.] 

The  Chairman  then  presented  the  medals  to  the  gentlemen  named  in  the 
report. 

The  Chairman — We  will  now  listen  to  Mr.  Alexander  E.  Orr. 

ALEXANDER         Mr.  Orr — Mr.  President  and  gentlemen,  my  fellow-members  of  this  Cham- 
E.  ORR  j^pj.^      whom  you  have  just  presented  these  golden  tokens  as  evidences  of  your 
recognition  and  approbation  of  their  services  as  Rapid  Transit  Railroad  Com- 
missioners of  the  City  of  New  York,  have  commissioned  me  to  express  to  you  in 
their  behalf  their  sincere  and  heartfelt  thanks  for  the  honors  you  have  conferred. 


2g2 


AI'/'KIICIATION  C)l'    UIL  C11AMBI:I< 

For  myself  I  cannot  help  remcmbcrino-  at  this  moment,  with  keen  feelings  of 
gratitude,  the  honors  which  have  come  to  me  for  many  years  past  from  you,  my 
fellow-members  of  this  Chamber.  Several  times  you  elected  me  your  Vice-Presi- 
dent, then,  for  five  consecutive  terms,  your  President;  then  you  advanced  me  to 
the  dii^nified  position  of  lionorarv  menibershi]),  and  now,  as  il  in  contirniation  of 
all  that  has  gone  before,  you  have  ])resented  me  also  with  the  gold  medal  of  the 
Chamber  as  an  additional  evidence  of  your  appreciation  and  respect.  Truly,  the 
lines  have  fallen  to  me  in  very  ])leasant  places,  and  for  it  all  I  can  only  tender 
you,  as  I  now  do  from  the  deep  places  of  my  heart,  my  grateful  thanks. 

It  has  been  both  a  pride  and  pleasure  to  the  members  of  our  Connnission  to 
know  that  the  very  first  move  toward  real  and  effective  rapid  transit  under 
municipal  ownership  was  made  by  this  Chamber,  and  it  was  for  this  reason  that 
when  designing  the  tablet  to  commemorate  the  building  of  the  first  rapid  transit 
road  in  New  York  our  Commission  decreed  that  the  verv  first  line  of  the  inscrip- 
tion  should  read :  "Suggested  by  the  Chamber  of  Commerce  of  the  State  of 
New  York,"  there  to  remain  as  long  as  the  solid  bronze  should  last  as  the  evi- 
dence of  your  contribution  to  real  rapid  transit  development. 

It  is  true  that  in  the  prosecution  of  this  great  work  confided  to  our  care 
there  were,  especially  in  the  earlier  stages,  some  serious  set-backs  and  very  many 
discouragements ;  but  knowing  as  we  did  that  we  possessed  the  confidence  and 
support  of  this  Chamber,  we  again  and  again  took  courage  till  we  finally  reached 
the  goal  that  you,  after  critical  investigation  of  future  possibilities,  had  the  wis- 
dom and  the  foresight  to  suggest. 

We  are  glad,  yes,  more  than  glad,  Mr.  President,  thar  Mr.  Seward's  Com- 
mittee has  mentioned  names  other  than  our  own,  of  men  who  have  given  true 
and  loyal  service  to  the  cause  of  rapid  transit,  and  without  whose  aid  and 
co-operation  the  problem  now  so  happily  solved  would  have  remained  an 
unsolved  problem  to-day. 

With  the  Committee's  permission  we  desire  to  add  to  the  list  the  names  of 
the  late  Justice  Henry  R.  Beekman,  who,  under  the  supervision  of  this  Cham- 
ber, drafted  the  rapid  transit  law,  and  of  Edward  M.  Shepard  and  Albert  B. 
Boardman,  who,  with  George  L.  Rives,  already  named  in  the  report,  acted  as 
our  counsel  and  made  all  rough  places  in  our  legal  pathway  smooth,  and  then  in  a 
few  brief  words  emphasize  the  names — first,  of  that  great  and  good  and  patriotic 
New  York  citizen,  our  dearly  loved  fellow-member,  Abram  S.  Hewitt, 
[applause]  known  to  us  all  as  the  father  of  rapid  transit.    No  poor  words  of 

293 


RAl'ID  TRANSIT 


mine  can  add  to  the  luster  of  his  great  fame,  hut  1  am  sure  it  is  a  pleasure  to  us 
all  to  rememher  that  during  his  lifetime  we  were  ahle  to  recognize  his  services  in  a 
manner  that  brouglit  io\-  and  liappiness  to  his  heart. 

And  of  W  illiam  l!arcla\-  I 'arsons,  our  Chief  Engineer,  who  designt'd  and 
superintended  the  building  of  the  subway,  and  whose  professional  skill  proved 
equal  to  every  engineering  difficulty  that  was  encountered  and  won  for  him  a 
well  merited  national  and  international  reputation.  It  may  interest  vou  to  know 
that  Mr.  Parsons'  direct  ancestor  of  several  generations  hack  obtained  the  orig- 
inal Charter  of  this  Chamber  from  the  iiritish  C"rown.  And  of  John  B.  McDonald 
and  August  Belmont,  who  at  an  opportune  moment  came  to  the  front,  when  so 
many  held  back,  and  with  faith  and  courage  accepted  the  contract  for  construc- 
tion and  operation,  which  crowned  all  our  previous  efiforts  with  success.  And  of 
iMlward  M.  (irout  [a])])lause]  and  I'.ird  S.  Coler,  who  as  the  chief  financial 
officers  of  the  citw  were  members  of  all  our  iiuportant  Committees,  and 
helped  us  so  much  in  determining  franchise  values,  which  to  our  minds  are  the 
most  valuable  of  all  munici])al  assets.  All  these  names  should  be  held  in  our 
grateful  remembrance  as  long  as  rajMii  transit  is  deemed  essential  to  the  coiu- 
fort,  happiness,  and  development  of  this  great  City  of  New  York. 

In  conclusion,  it  is  not  for  me  to  forecast  the  future,  but  I  cannot  help 
believing  that  passenger  transportation  through  large  cities  bv  subwav  contriv- 
ance has  come  to  stay.  [Applause.] 

CHARLES         Ch.\rles  Stewart  SxMith — Mr.  Chairman,  some  of  my  associates  on  the 

STEWART  j^j^pifi  Transit  Boaid  have  made  a  suggestion  to  me  which  I  have  verv  great 
SMITH        '  .  .  .      .  . 

pleasure  in  communicating  to  you.    Mr.  Seward,  in  his  report,  and  my  friend,  Mr. 

Parsons,  in  his  reuiarks,  paid  a  ver\-  merited  compliment  to  the  President  of  the 

Rapid  Transit  lioard.    My  friends  on  my  left  have  suggested  that  I  should  say 

something  which  would  express  the  convictions  of  the  members  of  the  Rapid 

Transit  Board  regarding  their  President.    Mr.  Orr  has  executed  his  great  work 

and  borne  his  immense  responsibilities  with  absolute  fidelity,  great  industry,  and 

very  great  ability.     [Applause,]    There  were  times  when  the  Board  felt  very 

uncertain  of  public  support.    A  good  many  of  our  best  citizens  in  New  York 

talked  about  a  "hole  in  the  ground."    Hut  Mr.  (  )rr  had  unbounded  faith  that  in 

the  end  the  rapid  transit  work  would  receive  the  approbation  of  the  citizens  of 

New  York  city.    I  want  simply  to  say  that  I  wish  to  confirm  the  remark  in  the 

report  made  bv  Mr.  Seward  ni  reference  to  Air.  Orr,  on  the  part  of  the  Rapid 

Transit  Commissioners  themselves.  [Applause.] 

204 


Ai'I'KLLLlTWN   Ul-    lllli.  ClIAMIUiK 


("alvin  To.mkins — Mr.  President,  in  icS88  Mayor  Hewitt  sent  a  messap^e  to  CALVIN 
llie  i')Oard  of  Aldermen  of  this  city  on  the  subject  of  rapid  transit.  It  was  prob-  ^^'^^'^'^^ 
al)ly  the  first  j^real  ra])i(l  transit  paper  which  emanated  from  a  city  official.  I  find 
e-xtracts  from  liiat  niessai;e  have  been  eml)()dieil  in  a  resohUi<ui  ])resented  to  tliis 
Cliamber,  and  I  think  it  wonld  I3C  pecuharly  appropriate  and  grateful  at  this 
time  if  by  general  consent  that  resolution,  which  is  virtually  and  practically  Mr. 
l  lewitt's  message,  could  be  read  and  receive  our  consideration.  We  have  heard 
from  the  other  gentlemen  who  have  been  peculiarly  instrumental  in  bringing 
about  this  great  pul^lic  work.  I  think  it  is  fitting  that  we  should  hear  a  few  of  the 
words  of  Mr.  Hewitt  who  was  the  great  leader  in  that  enterprise.  I  would  ask 
general  consent.    I  believe  the  Secretary  has  that. 

-A..  B.vRTOx  Hepburn — Mr.  President,  the  resolution  which  the  gentleman  ^-  BARTON 

■i  HEPBURN 

refers  to  was  introduced  and  referred  to  the  Committee  of  which  I  am  Chair- 
man. 1  emiiodied  the  sentiments  of  Mr.  Hewitt  as  expressed  in  his  message, 
and  with  it,  I  ])resume,  the  Chamber  would  generally  agree  ;  but  my  Committee 
did  not  think  it  right  or  opportune  or  proper  to  report  to  this  Chamber  an  expres- 
sion of  abstract  sentiment.  We  are  practically  business  men,  and  when  any 
practical  question  comes  before  us  for  action  it  is  quite  right  that  we  should 
express  our  sentiments  ;  but  for  this  Chamber  to  approve  formally  the  sentiments 
expressed  by  Mayor  Hewitt  in  a  message  wdiich  he  delivered  some  time  ago  did 
not  seem  to  us  to  be  a  proper  thing  to  do,  even  conceding  that  we  approved  of 
the  sentiments  expressed,  and  for  that  reason  the  resolution  is  lying  in  Com- 
mittee unacted  upon. 

Mr.  Tom  kins — I  ask  general  consent  to  present  it. 

Mr.  Simmons — Mr.  Chairman,  inasmuch  as  the  programme  laid  down  by  the 
Special  Committee  has  been  completed  and  the  business  of  the  Chamber  has  been 
finished  I  move  that  we  adjourn. 

The  Chamber  then  adjourned. 


295 


